Dreamcatcher Nights
by Rei Haruno -Sakura no Imooto
Summary: Yoru no Durimukacha revised. Taken away from humans and locked in a place comparable to a purgatory, Naruto must work his way around all the souls within the center. Will he make it out alive? SasuNaru
1. White Room

Welcome to **Dreamcatcher Nights!**

Some scenes are gathered from the original story. Please enjoy! ^^

**Disclaimer: I own Naruto not.**

**Warnings: **Gore factor. Colorful (bad) words. Things in between. Homo hints.

000ooo000

**Summary: Totally revised. **Taken away from humans and locked in a place comparable to a purgatory, Naruto must work his way around all the souls within the center. Will he make it out alive? SasuNaru ^^

000ooo000

_Red._

_All I see is red. Starting from the red liquid that drips from my forehead to the figures embracing everything in the center._

_Hot._

_I feel extreme pain whenever those figures of red spiky smoke kiss my body. And it feels like…_

_Burning._

_I look around… seeing nothing but the white smoke filling up the room. My lungs start to stop from breathing in the poisonous air and weakness starts to creep within me. I fall hardly to the supposed-to-be cold floor and pant for the next minutes of survival… which is impossible to happen._

_Death._

_It seems to creep and rob me of my hopes of living. Am I…_

_Dying…_

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno**

**Night 1: White Room**

'_I never thought in this room of serenity… lie shadows of unthinkable past.'_

Walking across the alley called the Terror Street, a teenage blond with a whiskered face stops in front of the poorly operating hospital. He gazes at the empty reception and whispers, "Poor place… ghost stories can surely destroy a place's business, huh." He then continues to walk… and passes by another alley leading to the backside of the hospital. He feels a different presence coming from the alley and so he looks to its direction. A long horizon stretches to the darkness of the place… but a faint image of a girl standing far away grabs his attention. He squints his azure buds to make the image clearer but it fades into the shadows.

"Fuck." He whispers and walks faster away and eventually runs home. The very creepy feeling envelopes the blond as he runs home… with the image of the girl in his head. He stops, pants and looks back… as a soft voice seems to speak. No one is there… he is all alone. He gulps and continues to run…

"Hic." A drunk drives his car across the streets as he happily sings off-tune. He is closing his eyes in sleepiness, exhaustion and dizziness. The hang-over starts to get to his head and he tries to shake it off by singing. But it is ineffective indeed. He begins to snore while the car is speeding along the way.

The blond crosses the street.

The car won't stop.

The blond notices the headlights… and look.

Too late to run.

Just too late.

000ooo000

Clash.

The frame on the side drawer falls off with no one moving the surface. A redhead lady comes near it and picks up the broken frame, "What's taking Naruto so long?" She gazes at the clock.

Tick. 1:01

It is already past 1 in the morning and her son is still not home. She whimpers a bit and goes upstairs and to the master bedroom. There works a man in the laptop at the desk. Files tower at his sides and he asks the woman without looking, "Naruto's not home yet? I've called every classmate of his I know… but they say he's not with them. Now, where did he go? Didn't he tell you about any sleepovers?"

"Nothing." She sits at the bed and clutches her hands in fright. Their only son is not yet home and she is worried about him. Very worried. Then the man stops working at the laptop and looks soulfully at his wife. He whispers, "Kushina."

Then the man's phone rings and he answers it, "Yes?"

"Uh, sir. I think you should come here quick. At the UM MedCenter…"

"Huh? Why?"

"Naruto got hit by a car. And now, he's in critical condition."

Freeze.

000ooo000

"Naruto!" His parents go in the room where Naruto rests… and they see Naruto lying unconscious at the bed. He is heavily bandaged and his heart beat is pretty low. Kushina cries as she covers her face with her hands, "Minato! What exactly happened to him?"

"I don't know. Tsume just called and… told me about it." The man answers and the doctor comes to meet the teen's parents. He explains a series of possible complications and the possibility of comatose… and death. The parents go emotional and Kushina walks to Naruto to run her hands at the boy's bandaged head, "Naruto, don't leave us please. It's too early for you to leave. Naruto, I beg of you…"

His parents decide to stay in for the night at Naruto's room. Both of them are sleeping by his side at the chairs allotted for them. A sudden tick of the clock seems to wake Naruto and so he opens his eyes. He looks around as he rises to sit at the bed. He sees his parents and he feels very sad… for making them worry.

"Naruto."

He looks around and seems to look for the caller. A soft voice whispers to him yet again and so he tries to get off the bed… despite the bandages and casts embracing his body. Tug. Tug. Tug. He tries to walk out the room without waking his parents and looks around the place. It is indeed a hospital… but a certain feeling makes the whole place creepy for the blond.

He walks again. Tug. Tug. Tug. Then another blurry image of the same girl in a dress appears before him. It is too far to decipher her face and so Naruto tires to get near… but the distance seems to remain and so Naruto asks, "Who are you? Do you want something form me?"

"Naruto." The soft voice speaks yet again and Naruto looks behind him… to see another image of the same girl. The earlier image before him vanishes and so he faces the image nearer to him. The girl has long dark hair and has a good figure. Her face is covered by her bangs. Her lips are not moving and yet a voice comes from her, "Naruto."

"Yes?" Naruto answers and the figure vanishes. He frowns and decides to walk some more distance. Tug. Tug. Tug. His legs are aching and it seems to bleed under the cast. He walks some more to find a seat. He starts to drag his legs… and at one time he falls over in pain and bleeding. He slams hardly at the corridors and he groans at the impact. He then feels a presence beside him. He looks at his right and an open door welcomes him in. He crawls in and sees a teenager sitting at the elevated bed. He is looking outside the open window… staring at the dark sky. Seems to be counting the stars, his lips are mumbling words the blond can't make out. The blond tries to sit and asks, "Uhm, excuse me?"

The guy pulls his covers overhead and wriggling actions become evident from the shape of the blanket. The middle part seems to rise and a hand comes out. A voice asks, "What do you want?"

"Uhm, well. Can you help me up? You see, I'm a… I can't really walk… for now." Naruto smiles and the hand recalls inside… as a sign of refusal. Naruto pouts and remains seated at the floor, "Then I'll stay here until morning."

"Fine." The figure wiggles yet again and Naruto watches it settle in a position. Then he seems to smell something… unpleasant. He looks around and tries to know what causes the strong odor. He asks the guy, "What's that smell?"

"…" No answer comes from the guy and Naruto shrugs his shoulders. Then a certain sound of splash comes to Naruto's ears and he flings to the bed. Blood is flowing from under the blanket and it is creeping towards his legs. The figure under the covers moves vigorously as the blood seems to flow endlessly. The blond, struck by fear and paralysis, can only tremble in fear. The blood starts flooding the floor and staining his bandages and his clothes. Snapping out of it, Naruto tries to pull himself out the room but the door slams shut and he screams in fright and surprise. A bloody hand stretches from under the blanket and the guy speaks, "Don't… leave."

"Let me go!" Naruto yells and a certain tick of the clock seems to make the things freeze aside from the blond. His sight becomes dark and he feels like his eyes have been forced to shut. He then tries to open them… and succeeds. He sees bright light and so he groan for getting blinded by the lights. Then a familiar voice calls to him, "Naruto! Dear, are you okay!"

"Mom?" He whispers and Kushina comes to embrace him. He tries to move… but unlike before he is miraculously brought back to his own room, he can't even move a finger. He even has difficulties in speaking. Minato comes to him as well and asks, "Are you alright? Does something hurt?" He talks to Kushina, "I'll call the doctor to check him, okay? Everything's fine now. Naruto will be alright." The mother nods and the father goes to find the doctor. Naruto tries to move a leg… but great pain stops him from doing so. He cries and Kushina tells him, "Naruto? Please don't try to move. Your body is still heavily bruised from the accident. Oh my God, Naruto. Why to you?"

"Mom. Did you take me back here?"

"Huh? You were there the whole time. Why Naruto?" Kushina twitches and asks with great worry. Naruto looks away and rewinds the scenes a while in his head.

It is real.

The pain is real.

He did walk outside the room but…

Wait, there is a witness! The guy with the bloody room. He asks his mother, "Mom. I walked outside this room a while ago before I feel like getting unconscious. I even talked to a guy at the other room. Can't I even have a wheelchair to look around?"

"I'll get you one." Kushina responds still pondering on what Naruto has said. She looks at the door, left open by Minato… and then the father comes with the doctor. They have a talk about Naruto's condition and the approval of Naruto's wheelchair.

000ooo000

Kushina pushes Naruto's wheelchair and the two is looking around the almost empty hospital. Naruto yells, "This one! Here! Here! I went inside this room!" Kushina shushes him gently, "Naruto, not so loud." She touches the knob and a nurse from behind them says, "There's a wild patient beyond that door. Visitors are prohibited to enter." Naruto twitches and asks, "Wild?"

Kushina pulls back from the door and walks the wheelchair towards the nurse. The nurse answers, "He have been hurting himself and bleeds every now and then. He doesn't accept food and he hurts visitors. If I were you, I wouldn't go in there. Are you acquainted to the patient?"

"A while ago, I entered that room. He didn't hurt me, though." Naruto says and the nurse wonders, "That can't be. That door has been locked… for years now. You can't be able to get in there… and…" The nurse whispers to the two, "We have been hearing the same things from the other patients before. That they are walking in that room and finds blood flooding the room. But then after some more days… those patients die from unexplained bleeding while lying at the beds. So don't joke like that, young man."

"Oh God." Kushina says and Naruto looks at the sealed door. And then he asks the nurse again, "Are there someone that made the same complain that is… not yet dead?" The nurse shakes her head and Kushina pulls the chair away and says, "Then we'll be at his room." She rushes and starts to sermon Naruto about talking about nonsense. Naruto tries to defend for himself but the image of the girl in a dress appears at a hallway that they just passed by. Naruto yells, "Mom! STOP!"

"Uh—!" Kushina wonders as she gets shocked and Naruto tries to move the wheelchair with his hands… dealing with great pain. He goes to the hallway where he has seen the girl. She is gone and Naruto frowns at the view. Kushina then grabs the handle of the chair, "Are you seeing things Naruto?"

"Mom, where are we?" Naruto asks the question he should have asked earlier. Kushina answers, "UM MedCenter, Naruto. The by-standers saw the accident and they rushed you to the nearest hospital even they knew of the horrible ghost stories that paints this hospital."

"That means…" Naruto says in a very serious voice, "I may be really seeing ghosts."

000ooo000

Naruto is sitting at his bed which has the upper half elevated… waiting for nothing. His mother and father are on their works for now and are struggling to get a leave so they can take care of Naruto at the hospital. The blond, however, can't go to school since he is somehow paralyzed… completely. He is shoving his head at the fluffy pillows behind him and is staring at the morning sky. _'Damn, I wish they will be visiting me. However, I am not expecting them to know that I am confined in a hospital… particularly UM MedCenter.'_

The lights start to flicker which breaks his flow of thoughts. He looks up and the room starts to get dimmer. The lace tying the curtain open loosens and the window gets covered by the drapes. He looks at the mirror and the reflection is something very scary. The room is covered with blood and there is— Naruto looks at the door and it is opening slowly. The same girl that dawn comes in and she starts to chant for his name again. He frowns and asks, "What do you want from me?"

"Nothing really, Naruto."

For the first time she responded and it surprised Naruto. He unintentionally blurts out as he shoots his finger to point at her, "Then what are you doing here!" Getting surprised that he can move again, he gets dazed while staring at his hands as he recalls the arm that shot out.

The girl walks to him and says as she reaches out, "Come… with me."

"No way. You might take me away from my parents!" _'And I don't know how much Sakura could be worried!'_ Naruto gives a blunt refusal and the girl recalls her hand that reaches out to him. She then faces the door and says, "You can't be leaving this place now. I hope you can understand that, Naruto." She vanishes…

Flash.

Naruto opens his eyes after a sudden time stop. The room is back to normal and he can't possibly move around again. He sighs and then looks at the clock at his drawer.

4:59…

_Huh?_

Naruto gets trapped in daze as he realizes that so much time has passed. The last time he checked it was just 9 in the morning. He blinks… and blinks… then a certain sound of an opening door takes his attention. Students come in and Naruto gets surprised by their arrival. Those are his classmates and among them is a cute pink-haired girl… with the name of Sakura. She walks to Naruto and says, "Hello, Uzumaki. I brought you some apples, do you want to eat?"

Naruto nods a bit… and seems to forget the pain of moving seeing the girl of his dreams. A guy looks around and whistles, "It doesn't seem to be a place of ghost stories, though." Another girl gets angry at the guy, "Oi, Inuzuka. The spirits might hear you… and what's worst? Eat you!"

Sakura twitches and looks at the two other, "Can't you keep it down? Someone is supposed to be resting here." Naruto blushes and gulps… but a sudden temperature drop changes his mood. Sakura sits at the allotted chair and wonders why there are two of them. The other girl sits at the other chair and the guy at the bed beside Naruto. The guy asks, "Oi, Naruto. Tell me, are you seeing ghosts around here? You know, like how the rumors go?"

"…" Naruto stays silent and Sakura says, "Inuzuka, are you trying to scare him? Ino, can you look for a nurse. The room is getting colder, don't you think?" Ino, the other girl looks around and shivers, "Uh yeah. Oi, Inuzuka. You do it."

"Why me, Yamanaka? Aren't you the one Haruno asked to do so?" The guy pouts and the blonde girl huffs. She stands up and is about to go outside… when she stops walking. Her eyes seem to widen and she slams the door close. She starts to look utterly scared and Sakura asks, "What's wrong, Ino?"

"You saw something?" The guy teases and Naruto just looks at her. She rushes to the vacant chair and snuggles Sakura's arm in fear. She begins to babble, "Uhm, I think… we should get away from here!" Sakura wonders and says, "Huh? Did you see something, Ino?"

"Uh… a… a girl… in white and she has this… long hair… covering her face and—" Ino says and the guy doesn't believe her, "Stop talking nonsense, Yamanaka. Okay, I'll take a look." He stands up and walks to the door. Ino gets very scared and Sakura gulps in tension. Naruto watches the guy open the door and say, "Nuh-uh. No one's here. Come on, Yamanaka Ino. Stop making stories."

"But—" Ino snaps and tries to defend herself. Sakura clams her down, "You must be tired and you're seeing things. You're creeping Uzumaki out." She smiles at Naruto, "Ghosts are just children stories, Uzumaki. Don't let it get to you."

"I know." The blond murmurs and the guy asks, "Oi, Naruto. Aren't you scared when you're alone? I mean, we met patients a while ago that were begging to be transferred. They were saying a girl with red hair is rising from walls and she's scaring all of them. How about you? Someone visiting you?"

"Inuzuka Kiba." Sakura snaps and gets angry at the guy, "Stop scaring Uzumaki!" Kiba laughs at the pinky's reaction and the blonde girl hisses at him as well, "No stories, huh?" Naruto twitches as their bickering seems to lose voice and every background sound is maximizing. He hears running water… dripping liquid. He gazes at the mirror far away and the room starts to get filled with blood again. He gulps and it is so loud that the three stops bickering. Sakura asks, "Uzumaki? What's wrong?"

Naruto blinks and the running water seems to get stronger and stronger. Then he gazes at the window… the blood-stained window. He gazes at the floor… the floor flooding with blood. Then every piece of furniture starts to bleed… he is freaking out within but he can't just make a sound.

Torture.

Naruto gulps yet again and the three seems to realize that Naruto is in a heavy daze. They try to shake him and snap him out of it. The room starts to bleed heavily and a sudden portion of the wall starts to swell and bulge. The sore turns red and then the girl with red hair, the other patients are complaining about, rises half of her body from the bloody wall. She looks at Naruto and she says in a very human voice like how the dark hair lady speaks, "Greetings, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Who are you?" Naruto murmurs and the three hears it. They gaze at where Naruto is gazing at… only to find a plain wall. The girl chuckles and submerges in the wall. A trail of bulging wormlike figure runs through the wall and Naruto follows it with his gaze. It ends up at the ceiling and the girl rises yet again. She reaches out her bloody hands at Naruto and blood drips to his face.

The girl submerges back to the ceiling and a voice rings in his head, "The next drops will be yours."

[End of Chapter One]

**Deidara: **Hello, un. Since there are faint possibilities that the Akatsuki will be at this fic, we will be hosting the end comments, un.

**Sasori: **Let's see. *reading the paper **I** gave* This fic is a revision of Yoru no Durimukacha. The title is the translation of the Japanese and original title. Things might sound familiar but the flow of the story is greatly changed.

**Deidara: **Is she kidding me, un? There's no need for end comments in this chapter but that one, un. *a metal ball drops at his head* OUW, UN!

**Sasori: **I can't believe this. This ends the end comments. (I'm sure she'll begin abusing the others sooner.)


	2. Dark and Scorching Residence

_A trail of bulging wormlike figure runs through the wall and Naruto follows it with his gaze. It ends up at the ceiling and the girl rises yet again. She reaches out her bloody hands at Naruto and blood drips to his face._

_The girl submerges back to the ceiling and a voice rings in his head, "The next drops will be yours."_

Blink.

Naruto realizes that everything is back to normal and his classmates are looking at him like he's crazy. He frowns at them, "What?" Kiba asks, "Uhm, seriously. You did see something, right?"

"I've been experiencing strange things lately. I—"

A sudden surge.

Naruto drops his head and pulls up the covers, "Can you just leave me alone for now?"

"But Uzumaki—" Sakura tries to stop him from digging deep inside the blanket. But she can't and the blond is under the covers completely. His classmates look at each other and the door opens. Minato and Kushina come in the room and the mother asks, "Why are you with those kinds of faces? Did something happen?"

"Naruto." Minato calls and walks nearer the bed. The girls and the guy gets off their seats and lets the parents get nearer to the bed. Minato shakes Naruto's shoulder and says, "Hey, Naruto. Is something wrong? Why are you enveloping yourself with the blanket? And why is… the room so cold?" Kushina looks around and goes near Naruto, "Naruto? Are you awake? Can you move a bit now? Or did they help you with those covers?"

"I'll call a nurse to adjust the room temperature." Minato goes out and Kushina rubs her hand against Naruto's shoulder. Sakura starts to ask about Naruto's condition, "Uhm, Mrs. Uzumaki. Can Naruto see ghosts? I mean he's been acting weird like he's seeing things we can't."

"…" Kushina hesitates to answer but she replies, "He's not just seeing them. They are coming after him…"

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno**

**Night 2: Dark and Scorching Residence**

'_In blood and fire, he lies… awake and lonely…'_

Kushina has told the three and Minato about Naruto's strange encounters. They are at the lobby since Naruto requested the nurse to take them out and he wants to be alone. Minato murmurs, "I can't leave Naruto here. If only he can move…" Sakura twitches and says, "Uhm, if only he can move? Is he half-paralyzed?"

"No… far worse than that." Kushina whimpers as she gazes at the wheelchair Naruto uses which is with them, "He can't even move his arms. That's why I'm quite surprise he has changed his position when we came. Did you help him?" Kiba shakes his head and says in surprise, "He moved on his own… without any difficulty. Are you sure he's not really faking anything?"

"The doctor gave us a report about all of Naruto's broken bones. With that kind of condition… he won't be able to move." Minato says and the nurse that tends to Naruto comes to the scene. She says, "Uhm, visiting hours are over. It'll be open by 8 tomorrow." The crowd nods and Kushina asks a favor from the nurse, "Can you watch over Naruto tonight? He has this… uhm, he talks about walking during night time. Can you make it sure he won't go somewhere?"

"Uhm, ma'am. I don't think I can help you there. I mean, rumors are no rumors." The nurse looks out for any other nurses which are not there. She whispers to them, "We have lots of patients that are talking about the same thing… walking at the middle of the night. Then they go in the same room to meet either a boy or a bloody room. We have monitored those patients but they are not really waking up to walk. We think they are… getting attacked by the so-called demon boy that calls the patients during night… in their dreams. Just like the other ghosts they complain they are seeing… the girl with dark hair and another girl with red hair."

"One time…" Sakura narrates to the nurse, "He acted differently at the middle of our talk. It seems like he's talking with someone and it's moving at the walls. He is wide awake… and then in a blink he's back." Ino agrees and says, "He even asked who is that thing he saw. And… there is dark-haired girl waiting outside his room. I told you, Inuzuka! There's a ghost girl!"

"Who?" The nurse ponders and repeats familiar hints, "Walls? It must be the red haired girl that crawls at the walls. And even the dark-haired girl is there? And he walks at night? That's not getting good." Her pager rings and she checks. She then apologizes, "I'm sorry I have to go. We'll be doing everything we can. I'm sorry he has to be confined in such a hospital." She makes her leave and everyone decides to leave and wish for Naruto to get better.

000ooo000

The skies have nothing but darkness and the night has come. Naruto pushes the heavy covers off him and he looks around. He murmurs, "Seriously? How come I can move now?" A squeaking wheelchair enters the room with the girl in the dress. He looks at her and asks, "Where are we going?"

"Around." She smiles and she raises her face. Her hair flings to the side and Naruto gets to see her beautiful face. He blushes a bit and she reaches out a hand, "Come with me, Naruto." Naruto shifts to get near the edge of the bed and sit at the chair. She pushes it out the room and to the hallways.

The atmosphere during the day is extremely different than of the night. She is pushing him across the dark and creeping hallways… those which are bathing in blood. Naruto gulps and asks, "What's your name? How come you know mine?" She smiles and says in a bashful tone, "I'm Hinata. I heard what your parents are calling you and that's how I…"

"Okay, Hinata. Do you know who that guy is? You know… the one I met last night?" Naruto asks and she stops in her tracks. She whimpers, "I am not… I shouldn't tell you, Naruto. But I can tell you one thing." Naruto smiles and then beams at her, "That's better than knowing nothing!"

"This is the realm of the dead or the so-called purgatory." Hinata speaks and it makes Naruto drop his smile, "Everything you are seeing that no one else can see is part of this world. Whenever the patients sleep, they get instantly transported in this world. But in your case, which is same with every critically injured patient, you do not require to be in a sleeping state just to get in the realm." Naruto grows silent as he drops down his head and keeps it down as they stroll across the hallways. Hinata smiles, "You are not yet dead, Naruto. Actually, what you are experiencing is the… comatose state in this hospital. Not even us, ghosts, know the reason behind this… phenomenon."

"In this comatose state…" Naruto whispers but loud enough for Hinata to hear, "Will I be able to wake up?"

"I don't know, Naruto…"

"You think… if we can find the cause of this… I can help everyone else break free?"

"…" Hinata falls silent and then she answers with utter sadness, "If this realm were to vanish… so will we. I do not wish to vanish like this, Naruto… and so does the spirits. But if you wish to help most of the trapped ones, I will be willing to…" Naruto lifts his face and says, "I'll… do something… so you won't vanish with a sad face, okay?"

"Thank you, Naruto." Hinata smiles and Naruto notices something before them. The dark horizon is lit by red lights coming out from a room. It is the same one he entered before. Remembering the rumors, Naruto gulps and tries to direct himself towards the blazing room. Hinata pulls the handles, however, and warns him, "That'll be dangerous… proceeding to His room."

"Let me talk to him…" Naruto smiles and so Hinata pushes the chair towards the blazing room. They reach the front of the blazing room and Hinata touches the knob. But she pulls back her hand in so much heat enclosed in the knob. Hinata says, "So hot and angry… these flames can even scorch one's soul."

Naruto reaches out and touches the burning knob…

Pain. Agony. Sadness. Grief.

It's too much for a heart to take. Naruto's hand is starting to get burnt but then he decides to turn the knob, disregarding the pain and burn his hand is suffering from. The door opens before them and a burning room lies inside. A burning figure is lying at the fire-eaten floor, struggling to breathe and to be saved from the killer flames. Cinders embrace all wooden materials and great heat houses at all metal things. Naruto and Hinata hear something aside from the roar of flames…

A very painful cry of…

A weeping soul.

Naruto tries to get nearer but the chair wouldn't move. He looks at the figure… and decides to shift himself towards it. He hits the baking floor and crawls towards the burning figure. Hinata tries to get in but she can't. She yells for Naruto's name as the blond continues to crawl.

So… hot.

But he endures the pain as the spiky red lights starts to envelope him as well. He reaches out and calls, "Hey! Can you hear me! Roll here!" Naruto starts to feel stronger as the pain gets more intense. He is able to stand up and lunge at the burning figure. He takes off his patient's jacket and tries to takes off the flames from the burning patient. Then other patient stops moving and then a calm and cold voice asks Naruto, "Do you think you can easily extinguish… my flames of hatred?"

"Your what?" Naruto twitches and the flames stop moving as well as everything around them. Hinata freezes along with the wind and flickering of the cinders. The burning patient stands up and Naruto looks up at his face… which is cannot be distinguished by then. The figure has the same voice of the guy Naruto met at the same room and it continues to speak, "These flames are not of nature… they are of my hatred and they will burn for eternity. They will not vanish."

Tick.

Naruto shoots open his eyes and sweat drops run across his face. He pants beneath the blanket and a liquid seems to be dripping from the ceiling. Naruto can move… and so he can conclude that the nightmare is not yet finished. He slowly pulls the blanket off his face… and sees…

Himself.

Heavily burned.

Locked at the ceiling with those sharp barbwires.

Deep wounds exposed much of the entrails.

Some internal organs hanging on the edge…

Naruto is struck by great fear as he stares at his reflection in its awful state. Blood have been dripping at the whole bed and the sleeping reflection seems to wake up. A silent growl and the eyes open. The almost distorted face seems to smile, "Hi, me."

"This… is not happening. I'm… not…" Naruto has tears flowing from his eyes and he yells as he shut his eyes, "Of all things to see!"

"Naruto!"

Tick.

Naruto opens his shut eyes and sees a horizon of hallways from a low viewpoint. He feels pain creeping all around himself and he sits up. He looks around and sees the nurse in charge of him. The nurse helps him stand up and says, "You can move! Are you feeling okay now? Does anything hurt?"

"I can… still move." Realizing that it is still part of the nightmare, Naruto whispers and he looks around for a clock. The clock ticks past 1 in the morning. He looks around and the nurse says, "I saw you lying there at the ground. How did you get here? And I saw a broken wheelchair, stumbled around the corner." Naruto runs towards the corner and he sees a broken, rusted wheelchair. It looks like the one Hinata is always with. He pushes the wheelchair and it squeak noisily at the hallways. Then the chair seems to direct to a place on its own and the two follows it, with the nurse thinking that Naruto moves it.

It reaches an empty hallway… and that's what they thought. A big blood splatter marks the wall and the nurse gasps at the scene. She backs off and says, "I'll call security!"

"No need."

The two turns and the chair stops in its tracks. A red haired girl is sitting at a bench nearby… and her waist is bleeding. Then hands starts to rise from the walls… reaching for a hold on either living humans. Then voices of agonizing souls plague the place. The redhead's upper body falls off and the horrible noises get louder. The nurse starts to get hysterical and she tries to run away from the place. But the hallways get blocked by the hands as well. The nurse lands on her ass and stay put in place as she screams. Naruto falls on his butt as well… in creeping weakness. He then watches the upper body crawl towards the nurse and the hands rising from the floor grabs and holds her down.

A somewhat white smoke escapes from her mouth. The white smoke disappears… and the hands start to pull her apart. Naruto doesn't like what's going to happen. He shuts his eyes and calls for Hinata, "Hinata, save me please." Tearing noises comes after and Naruto starts to grieve within him, not being able to help the poor nurse. Screeching sounds appear then and Naruto half-opens his eyes to see what's approaching. The upper body crawls pass him, "You're lucky, Naruto. You're mine… if ever he finds you worth less than what he needs."

"He who?" Naruto asks and the redhead refuses to answer. But then she speaks again before submerging into the walls, "He who… burns and bleeds for eternity." Naruto twitches and everything seems to turn back to normal. Naruto knows the nightmare will be ending and he will come back to his room like how the other ones end. He closes his eyes and remembers the boy at the blazing room.

The same boy that bleeds…

The boy that bleeds in eternal pain.

The boy that burns in eternal hatred.

Tick.

Who is he?

Tock.

No one seems to know.

Tick.

The nightmare ends and Naruto seems to have a sound sleep.

000ooo000

Naruto opens his eyes and the morning sun welcomes him through the curtained window. He looks around and seems to be wondering what causes the chatters outside. He frowns and starts to call, "Anybody there?" A cold breeze runs across his body… and gathers at the foot area. Then the breeze seems to kick the blanket up high and something very cold starts to slide upwards. Naruto looks at the bulging part of the blanket which creeps towards his face.

'_Is that a leg?'_

A human?

No…

A ghost.

A ghost is creeping beneath Naruto's blanket and the blond can't do anything but to watch it move and feel its limbs creep against his body. The stench of blood oozes from the figure and Naruto seems to have an idea WHO it could be. Like what Hinata has said, he can see spirits from the Realm of the Dead even without sleeping. He calms down and calls, "How am I supposed to call you? Care to give a name?"

"I refuse." The figure answers as it rests its head at Naruto's chest. The cold sensation runs across Naruto's overall but he seems to feel a bit comfortable at the situation. Then the boy runs his hand towards Naruto's chest and the blond remembers the rumors about the bleeding boy. The boy speaks with his normal tone as he seems to pierce Naruto's chest with a finger, "You seem to be quite peculiar, Naruto. You seem to attract spirits even without doing anything. Is it because of your good heart?"

Naruto starts to scream in pain as the finger seems to reach his heart.

Dug-dug. Dug-dug. Dug-dug.

The sound of heartbeat oppresses all noises even the nerve-racking sound of the monitor. The screen is starting to display the noisy red line… but the server computer at the reception does not display any changes in Naruto's condition. Naruto starts to rattle his body in pain… and the boy starts to creep higher. His raven hair comes out from the blanket and the blond sees a good look at his face. Those gem-like onyx buds dazes the azure ones and cold lips comes in contact with the ones trembling in pain. Both close their eyes and the blond's consciousness starts to seep away…

000ooo000

Naruto opens his eyes and finds himself in the nurse chambers. He looks around and sees his reflection at the nearby mirror. He is in an intern uniform and it looks familiar… the UM MedCenter intern uniform. Then he walks out the room and looks around the former medcenter. It looks a lot like all the other hospital of peak seasons. The emergency room has never been vacant and the patients are all falling in line to get a room and doctor to get treated. Then he comes across a nurse and she gives him a clipboard, "We do need interns now, huh. Can you check on the patient at room 723? Report in at the head nurse later, okay?" She leaves after the babble and Naruto examines the clipboard given to him. No name and picture for the profile and the note is, '_Bandage. Bandage. Bandage. We need lots of bandage._' Naruto raises a brow and he walks towards the elevator.

It dings and he fills in the spaces the persons left for him. A patient is within the crowd… Hinata with her three IV drips and her nurse. He gazes at her and she looks back… smiles… and descends at the next floor. She then says before the elevator closes, "See you… mister."

A long time before Naruto had the chance to get to the seventh floor and walk towards the room he needs to check up on. He then knocks and says, "I'm going in." He opens the door and the raven boy sits at the bed, staring at the open window. Just like the first time he saw the teenage boy. But he has these thick bandages running around at his wrists, arms, ankles, and legs. Thick sterilized cloths are plastered at both cheeks.

"Uhm, I'll be… I'm—"

"Just proceed." The raven snaps and looks at him. The gem-like stones for the eyes seem to be dead, so dull that it seems no soul is present. Naruto gulps and it feels like he knows exactly what to do. He proceeds on with his business… and finished in less than thirty minutes. He then looks at the dead eyes and asks, "Uhm, my name is Naruto. What's yours?"

"…" the boy refuses to answer and Naruto sighs in disappointment. But then he answers, "Sasuke. You are the first one to ask…" Naruto smiles and writes 'Sasuke' on the clipboard. He happily asks and tries to get the boy interested, "When is the last time… someone visited you?"

"…" the boy remains silent for a moment and then flings to him, "No one has ever visited me. Why do you care?" Naruto twitches and drops his head being filled with compassion. He sits down at the edge of the bed and holds the boy's hand, "Do you feel lonely?"

"…" Sasuke blushes and looks away. But his hand squeezes Naruto and the blond says, "You don't really have to feel lonely. Sometimes, there are things that you need to go through alone. But at the end of the line… the people you love will be waiting for you." The raven looks at him and asks, "Where is this… end of the line? Is when that spiky line turns straight… and red?" He refers to the line displayed by the monitor and Naruto knows what he means. He changes seat from the edge to beside the boy and pulls Sasuke closer to a hug, "No. That's not that line."

"I need to find it… before everyone… kills me."

"Kill you?" Naruto twitches in surprise and Sasuke answers, "Everyone thinks I'm scary and… I should be dead by now." Naruto gives a broken gaze at the raven and he drops his head in the emotions that are trying to flow in. Is it pity? The depressing atmosphere drowns anyone who enters the room. This must be pushing Naruto to do something about it… since the boy is indeed… haunting him. Naruto then replies, "No, you are scary and don't give up. There are just some people who think those who suffer… should just vanish away. And I won't let them… hurt you, okay? So don't worry."

"… Promise me."

000ooo000

Naruto has just reported in and he is on his way towards Sasuke's room. A weird feeling of being followed comes to him. He looks around but nothing is there. He shrugs his shoulders and continues to walk. In a corner, a hand tugs Naruto to the side and someone grabs his neckline. Naruto growls and exclaims, "Who are you? What do you want!"

"He-hey." The four male interns whistle and one holding Naruto punches him at his stomach. Too much pain for him to take and he falls unconscious. The leader, the one holding Naruto, says, "Come on, boys. Let's play." They carry Naruto somewhere… and danger is on its way.

[End of Chapter Two]

**Itachi**: I see. The akatsuki will be hosting the end comments in the first five chapters. *a placard with the words 'NO OROCHIMARU INCLUDED' pops from the side*

**Kisame**: *picks up the placard and throws it away* Heh. She's been abusing characters for a long time… and I don't want to make it to the list. Let's start the comments.

Hints of SasuNaru and NaruHina shown at this chapter. NaruSaku is hinted at the first and Anti-NaruSaku at the next chapters *a devil (which appears to be **me)** laughs at the background*. SasuHina and SasuKari will come by at other chapters. But she wants to emphasize that this is a **SasuNaru** fic. But she'll include some of the competitive or existing pairings as well for some more flavors.

My, she knows lots of portmanteau.

**Itachi**: You wouldn't want her to mention every Naruto pairing portmanteau there is. Let's go, Kisame. *a post with a sign of HEAVEN THIS WAY == appears nearby*

**Kisame**: This fic seriously doesn't have many comments, huh. That ends the end comments for chapter two. Read the next chapter to know what happened and what happens next. *crumples the crappy paper **I** gave and throws it at **me***


	3. Sakura's Judgment

_The__one holding Naruto punches him at his stomach. Too much pain for him to take and he falls unconscious. The leader, the one holding Naruto, says, "Come on, boys. Let's play." They carry Naruto somewhere… and danger is on its way._

They dump and tie Naruto at a cubicle and the blond wakes up. He struggles to break free and he yells, "Hey! What is this?" The leader says after a spit, "The new intern is sure noisy, huh." Someone says with a malicious smile, "I'll put that patient to sleep. You guys take care of him." Naruto has his eyes big and he growls at the guys, "Hey! What do you mean with that!"

"…" The guys look at each other and they all bear malicious smiles at him. The blond knows that this is bad… and he is not sure if this is a nightmare of some sort. Sasuke does not even recognize him…

He tries to break free and then one of the interns draws out some barb wire. Naruto's eyes grow big again as the leader gets the barb wire and lines it with the blond's shoulders. The leader smirks and says, "Let the fun begins."

000ooo000

The other guy is setting up a little experiment for a bomb. He is assembling things and the trigger is the oxygen valve. Instead of oxygen, methane gas is loaded at the oxygen tank beside him. But a nurse sees him and talks to him about his new patients and the conditions of his patients. The utility custodian walks by and grabs the oxygen tanks beside the guy. Since it is lighter, he considers it empty. He takes it for refilling and it has been taken before the other guy knows…

The guy panics when the tank disappears and he runs away from the nurse with due respects. He looks around for the utility custodian, "Oh, fuck…"

The custodian mounts the tank near the refilling machine… in a room filled with oxygen tanks…

The guy runs towards the men's toilet…

The guys at the men's room seem to stab a slab of meat…

Stab. Stab. Stab.

The guy reaches the floor where his partners in crime are…

The brutal 'murder' continues…

Stab. Stab. Stab.

The custodian holds the valve and turns it…

Click.

BOOM!

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno**

**Night 3: Sakura's Judgment**

'_He has lost so much… and he will not let it happen again…'_

"Oh shit!" The leader yells and the whole gang meets at the men's room. The whole building shakes in the explosion. The parked cars boom their alarms and the computers jam at the impact. The fire alarm sounds and the deadly flames creep faster than expected. The doctors and nurses cannot access the ER and ICU and the patients are dead on the spot. The sound of Code Blue plagues the ears of all the nurses who are busy saving movable patients. The flames seep through each room… blasting every oxygen tank they find. The UM MedCenter has been put to total chaos and the neighboring buildings start evacuation. The silent and sleepy city has been awakened by the powerful explosion.

The guy in charge of the bomb yells, "Let's get the fuck out of here! The utility custodian triggers the bomb and the whole oxygen room had blown up! The whole system is down and the sprinklers won't turn on!"

"That's fuck! Let's go!" The men runs off… leaving the bloody cubicle open… and the thought-so dead man alive.

Just like what Naruto has seen before… he is tied up in place. Barb wires are wrapped around him and deep wounds of stabbing have punched holes in Naruto's body. The blond is panting for breath… and then the place starts to heat up. The whole floor starts to burn and Naruto is stuck at wherever he is. He tries to call for anyone but his throat is heavily damaged by the barb wires encircling his neck. Tears start to flow from his eyes and he thinks of only one thing…

'_Sasuke… will you escape the fire?'_

Then he remembers that Sasuke is burning… burning so hard that it pains Naruto to visualize what Sasuke could be going through that very moment. He cries… and cries…

The spiky lights starts to engulf the men's room and Naruto will get burned as well. He eyes at the fire… those flames that drain him his life and hopes to see the poor boy one more time. The blond's eyes choose to close and wait for the burning sensation. He knows that there will be no escape and there's no one to save him.

Soon enough the flames start eating Naruto and his body rattles in pain. He sees visions at the red horizon before him and witnesses another soul's suffering. The burning boy starts to squeal in pain with the blond. Both are feeling the same level of scorch… but Sasuke seems to get hurt more than Naruto does. Naruto is feeling somehow numb already from the piercing of the barb wire. Tears flowing from Naruto's eyes start to vanish as the fire eats up Naruto's face. The tears of pity dissolve in the heat… and pain…

Pain is everything they feel…

000ooo000

Another nightmare ends and the blond wakes up with tears and piercing sadness in his system. Sakura runs her hand at Naruto's face and the blond notices that she is beside him. He blushes and she smiles sweetly at him, "Uzumaki, you've been crying the whole time I've seen you. Is something wrong?"

"Saku— I mean Haruno." Naruto whispers and she continues to run her delicate hands at his face and finally caps it at his cheek, "Are you feeling better now?" Naruto tries to nod but he can't. Sakura chuckles a bit and Naruto blushes at the scene. He smiles… but it vanishes as coldness conquers the place again. Sakura twitches and looks around, "It's getting cold again. Is it always like this here, Uzumaki?"

"Not really—" Naruto shifts up in his surprise of the sudden temperature drop. But wait…

'_Oh fuck I can move…'_

He sits up and Sakura wonders at the thing, "Huh? I thought you can't move, Uzumaki." Naruto tries to move some more… and finding out that he can move his legs as well… makes him worry and fear the worst case scenario. He has seen a ghost of the other realm kill… and there's no way the others can't. Naruto holds Sakura close and he whispers, "Stay quiet for a while, Sakura."

"Why?" Sakura makes a squeak but Naruto can't possibly say what's going on. He only has an idea of what **might** happen and not what exactly is happening. He has already realized that the more he can move his body… the deeper in the other realm he gets. Seriously, aside from the temperature drop, nothing else is happening but Naruto fears the appearance of even just one of them.

Sakura wonders at the reaction and seems to feel something funny at her soles. She looks down and something seems to be flooding the room. She frowns at it and reaches for the floor. Naruto looks at what Sakura is doing and sees the foreign thing that floods the room. The yellowish liquid continues to reach up and the two decides to raise their legs above the bed. Sakura wonders, "Is that… the liquid in IV drips?"

"IV drips?" Naruto echoes and remembers something in his nightmare. He can't deny that he has already forgotten how horrible his nightmare is. But he needs to deal with this kind of things like he is so much used to it. The nightmares have been bugging him day in day out… and it seems like there is no end of it. Forgetting about it must have angered the spirits.

But there's no time concluding about it for now. Naruto remembers that Hinata has three IV drips with her and she might have died because of overdose. If Sasuke's haunting is blood and the redhead's is the wall thing, this IV drips flood must be Hinata's. Naruto looks around and sees a faint image of Hinata swaying around the room. And for the record… Sakura can freaking see it. She gapes her mouth open and she whispers, "Naruto, do you see that?" She seems to point the swaying image. Naruto nods and calls… "Hinata… is something wrong?"

A sudden booming sound disturbs the two and in a blink, the whole room has grown bloody. Sakura covers her mouth and Naruto holds her closer. The door opens on its own and a ghostly Hinata walks in the room… without the wheelchair for Naruto. Different from what Naruto can remember, her light eyes are glaring with killing intent at Sakura. Yellow liquid is flowing out her mouth and is connecting to the one flooding the room. Naruto calls again, "Hinata? What's happening?"

"…" Hinata cocks her head to the side forcefully… and which proves her neck is broken and it clicks at every movement. The two pulls back in terror and it is the first time Naruto has seen Hinata as scary as what he is seeing now. Before he is just fears the redhead but now… he's adding Hinata to the list. The place remains to be bloody and the yellow liquid fills in the floor. Naruto cries a bit as Sakura hugs him in fear, "Hi— Hinata! Please!"

Then the walls start to wriggle and Naruto know the redhead will be coming. Hinata stops walking to them and the redhead emerges from the sea of wall near Sakura. The rotten hands emerge with her and try to grab Sakura. But Naruto pulls her away and the redhead speaks, "Seriously, kid."

"Karin." They hear Hinata's voice and they turn to see the Hinata Naruto has always seen. He calls again, "Hinata!" Karin, the redhead, frowns at the brunette and she says, "I knew it. You wouldn't do it. That's why I'm here." Hinata walks nearer and Sakura starts to hyperventilate seeing ghosts… she always called non-existent.

"That is not always a solution, Karin… and he knows that." Hinata says and Karin snaps, "Okay then, you can stop me… for now. But I'm warning you… you wouldn't want _**him**_ to do it." Karin glares at the scared Sakura and the trembling Naruto and to Hinata, "Sometimes, you should listen to him. Who knows how aggressive he can get…" She reaches out more to get to Naruto's side as the wall seems to stretch the cement to support her, "Listen to me, kid. He wouldn't want you flirting around…"

Sakura twitches and Karin grabs the pink locks and pulls on it. The pinky winces and the redhead hisses at her ears, "That head could be a beautiful ornament. I wonder _**when**_ I can chop it off your neck." She let goes and submerges at the wall and then she speaks, "You three are lucky… as long as _**he**_ would not stop me." The walls stop wriggling and the place returns to normal. Naruto crashes at the bed and Sakura exclaims, "Uzumaki!"

"My body… hurts." Naruto tries to restrain the pain his body is feeling. He then screams in pain and the pinky rushes to call a nurse. Naruto continues to cry in excessive pain that he has never experience before. But Hinata appears by his side again and runs her hand at Naruto's hair… to calm him a bit. He whispers, "Sakura… I need to… go after her…"

000ooo000

Sakura runs at the hallways and she seems to be running for hours. She stops to pant and looks around. The endless hallways start to wind and Sakura wonders… and so she walks towards a direction. The afternoon skies have darkened so much and it scares Sakura so much. She leans at a wall and gulps in fear. She then remembers about Karin and jerks to get away from the wall. She lands on her ass as she falls off balance when she jerks away. She stays at her position as she listens to the sound… that conquers almost every other one.

Dug-Dug. Dug-Dug. Dug-Dug.

The sound of heartbeat echoes at the hallway and Sakura is getting paralyzed by what she hears. Fear creeps into her system and she begins to look for her best friend who happens to be just on her way to the hospital with that dog boy, Inuzuka. She stares at the empty horizon and hears footsteps.

"You're being a little generous, miss." A guy's voice says and Sakura looks around to find the speaker. A hand holds her arm and she shrieks to get her arm back. She looks behind her… to find a detached arm holding hers. She screams in fear and tries to take it off. The hand let goes and another one holds her head. A pair of floating arms is trying to touch her everywhere. She stands up while screaming and runs away further.

She is running at the endless hallways and she is running closed-eyes. She then bumps into somebody and she gets thrown by the impact. But the guy catches her and says, "Oops." Sakura looks at him and he smiles… a somehow creepy one. Sakura backs off a bit and says an apology, "Uhm, I'm so sorry." The guy replies with the plastered smile, "It's alright. By the way, my name is Sai. What's yours?"

"Sa… Sakura." She says and backs off a little further. She notices that the guy's arms are still circling around her like how they do at the catch. Then she notices his sleeves are… empty. She turns to her back and sees the detached arms holding her. She flings back to the guy and he grows serious, "You don't really have to get scared. I don't do women." Sakura raises a brow and seems to forget the fear for a second by the unexpected thing to say. The arms let go and connects back to Sai as he walks towards her. He says, "I heard Hinata refuses to take you. I understand why but… _**his**_ orders are kind of… absolute."

"Who is this 'he'?" Sakura asks and she tries to back off somehow. The guy smiles and he says, "More like the overlord in this place. He can devour the others with ease… that's why we do our best to please him. We do everything he says and we need to do it the way he wanted. It's not like he's some kind of a dictator… he only gives orders once in a blue moon, after all." Sakura frowns at the guy and says, "And why does he…" She hesitates to finish her question and so she turns away. The guy knows what she wanted to say, though, "You mean about that guy Naruto?"

"You know Naruto?" Sakura twitches and he answers, "Everyone knows Naruto. _**He**_ seems to get so fond of that blond kid. Touching him would mean eternal suffering on our part. But to think that _**he **_had that kind of taste. Even I found Naruto first, I cannot just risk my fun just to own him." Sakura freezes and grows… somewhat disgusted, _'What? These ghosts are going gay over Uzumaki?' _She twitches some more and rows her eyes big, _'And since Uzumaki likes me… they all wanted to… get rid of me! But… I can't just… leave him alone. But still…'_

"You probably know why Karin and Hinata tried to attack you." Sai smiles and the girl asks, "How am I going to get out of this place? You know… get back to where Naruto is?" The guy drops his smile and grows serious again. Sakura doesn't like the action and it makes her shudder somehow. She tries to say, "I—"

"You can't get out of this place."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You need to die first."

Sakura freezes and she cannot possibly say something with the thing Sai has told her. Tears start to fall from her eyes and she realizes that there's no easy way out this mess. **It was all Uzumaki's fault.** She thinks that he's the one to blame for this. He attracts that ghosts and he should shoo them away. But it could be too late for her…

"But I think you can talk to _**him**_." Sai smiles and Sakura listens to him, "If you can convince _**him**_ to let you go, I think you can survive the night." Sakura takes a deep breath and she asks for directions, "Where is this guy?" Sai shrugs his shoulders and points at the horizon, "I don't know and _**he**_ changes rooms frequently. _**He**_ only appears when _**he**_ wanted to. If ever you see a blazing room, go in and you'll see _**him**_… burning. Just talk… and try not to get caught in _**his**_ fires, okay?"

"Don't you have a name for him?" Sakura asks and Sai waves goodbye in return. The ghost vanishes and Sakura gazes at the horizon and starts to walk… thinking of seeing a blazing room and getting out of that labyrinth because, _'Labyrinths do not exist… since there is no maze one cannot get out of.'_

000ooo000

"She's gone to call a nurse and she's not back yet?" Ino wonders and Naruto nods. Kiba, Ino, Minato and Kushina are already there since after class and work has come. Kushina seems to get worried and Minato seriously does not understand everything that is happening around the UM MedCenter. Naruto then twitches and feels a different thing, '_Maybe Sakura has been captured! I need to save her!'_ He then shut his eyes and seems to call out to the ghosts, _'Sasuke! Hinata! Please! Don't hurt her!'_

Kiba watches Naruto shut his eyes and seem to do some communication with the otherworld as he calls it. He says, "Oi, Naruto. Are you planning to call those ghosts? No way, man." Minato twitches and blurts out unintentionally, "Ghosts? Call?" Kushina taps Naruto and he opens his eyes to look at her, "Hey, young man. What are you doing?" Ino gulps and speaks out with her scared voice, "Do those ghosts… know where Sakura could be?"

"I… I'm not sure." Naruto says and then Minato suddenly speaks with a different tone, "You know exactly where that girl is." They twitch and look at the older blond. Kiba asks while the other three seem to feel different, "What do you mean by that, Uncle?" Kushina then frowns at her husband… realizing that it couldn't be him anymore. Naruto gazes at him… and everyone watches him lift his face to look directly at Naruto's eyes.

Instead of strong blue eyes, onyx eyes welcome them and Naruto automatically knows who could it be. The blond gulps and the redhead mother murmurs, "You're not Minato." The other two shrieks and looks directly at the guy. 'Minato' leans at the wall and crosses his arms at his chest, "How many times do Hinata have to take you there for you to remember the existence of that place?"

"Take her back here, Sasuke." Naruto says… more like a warning and Sasuke in Minato's body remains silent. He answers, "I refuse." Naruto grows angry and tries to lunge at the guy… but he cannot move. His mother pleads on his behalf, "What do you want from her? Do you want something in exchange?" The other three looks at her and then to Sasuke. The guy drops his arms and walks near Kushina. His aura starts to get dark and angry, "… Never. Bargain. With me—"

"Sasuke!" Naruto calls in a mad tone and says, "Not my parents, too!" He stops walking… and he turns to Naruto. He puts a hand at the hips, "Fine then. Look for her if you like." Minato then falls to the floor and Kushina kneels down to wake him up. The other two gets frozen by the events and Ino says, "Where… is Sakura, Uzumaki?"

"They call it the Realm of the Dead." Naruto endures the pain of moving, sitting up and going to his dad. Kushina stops him from moving further and he says, "But I'm not sure how… many ghosts there are in that realm. I hope Sakura will still be okay until I… get her back." Naruto lunges at the floor and crawls painfully towards the door. The three watches him and then the room temperature suddenly reaches zero. The door opens and a girl in a dress comes in. Ino yells, "That's the girl I saw!"

"Naruto…" Hinata murmurs and Naruto continues to crawl towards her, "I need to find Sakura! Hinata! Take me to where she is! PLEASE!" The brunette looks away and helps him up. She hesitates to say yes but she has to, "Okay, Naruto. I'll take you there… but— promise me, that whatever _**he**_ tells—"

"I don't care about him for now. I wanted to take Sakura from that place." Naruto insists and Hinata murmurs as the dark wheelchair appears before them, "Naruto…" The blond sits and Hinata holds the handle…

"The way you speak and act… makes him want to really… really slaughter that girl."

000ooo000

Sakura stops walking and she has walked some more hours in the place. She rests her legs by sitting at the middle of the hallway. She pants and sighs… she knows the guy would not want to see her… alive. Then footsteps come from somewhere and Sakura grows cautious. She looks around and sees a guy walking towards her. He is wrapped by lots of bloody bandages and blood drips from the tips of those fingers. Sakura backs off by standing up and the guy starts to walk slower… and burn. But no painful scream comes from the guy and he says, "He just said he wanted to fetch you up from this place. He didn't say unhurt."

"Are you… the 'he' everyone calls an overlord?" Sakura walks backwards to keep distance from the burning guy. The guy refuse to answer and she can see tears flowing from his fire-covered cheeks. She stops moving and says, "You want Naruto, right?" The guy stops walking and Sakura says, "I… It's not like I like him or whatsoever. You can take him if you like… just… stop dragging me in this mess."

"I… can take him?" The guy repeats and she nods…

"Who are you to just give away people like you own them!" He rages around and fire eats the whole place. Her clothes catch fire and she's starts to burn as well. She screams in pain and it feels like even more painful than the real flame. Filled with hatred and killing intent, the flames of Sasuke seem to burn Sakura's soul and she can feel it very well. Her skin is not burning despite the deadly flames that have been eating her up. Sakura screams so bad… and she's starting to claw herself to relieve some pain that burns her internally. She looks at the guy… and the place starts to darken. Darkness eats everything and Sakura feels one thing…

It surely feels like…

Death.

[End of Chapter Three]

**Konan**: Welcome to the end comments of the third chapter of Dreamcatcher Nights. Rei Haruno had requested us to appear in this section… despite the absence of any very significant notes. *a placard shows up above them YAY! PEINKO FOR TODAY!*

**Pein**: She wants to emphasize that she's more on the Anti-NaruSaku part but she's striving to improve the one-sided NaruSaku. She tends to do a one-sided love story when she doesn't like the pairing but it is essential for flavor. The other pairings will come in due time… but for now, let most of them feel **pain**.

**Konan**: She has also introduced Sai who will be making the move in later chapters. She's still formulating if she will include the idea of SaiNaru. She declares Martial— (huh? Never mind that one) that pairings are shifting but SasuNaru will be as solid as a rock. Smiling face…

**Pein**: That ends the comments. She wants to thank you for reading further and eventually finishing the fic.

**Konan**: *lowers the paper **I** gave* I wonder… is this her version of Kabuto's Resurrection Jutsu (which she says is better since the summoned completely submits to her will and she can control even the Living)? Calling forth anyone, dead or alive, and making them do some… strange, unnatural things?

**Pein**: It's not just her. Most of the… what she calls the 'Fanfiction Clan' can do such. Some members make the summoned do stranger things as well. Like… changing the gender and changing the way they talk and react. Even the preference. They can even invade our minds and change everything we know… and they can also control our actions. (Like right now, she's making us say insignificant things… and unnecessary comments.)

**Konan**: It's good Madara won't be able to put his hands on this kind of Kekkei Genkai…


	4. Crossing Over?

_Filled with hatred and killing intent, the flames of Sasuke seem to burn Sakura's soul and she can feel it very well. Her skin is not burning despite the deadly flames that have been eating her up. Sakura screams so bad… and she's starting to claw herself to relieve some pain that burns her internally. She looks at the guy… and the place starts to darken. Darkness eats everything and Sakura feels one thing…_

_It surely feels like…_

_Death._

Sakura collapses to the ground and the guy walks over the girl. Blood starts to swiftly flood the room… and the guy is still restraining himself from finishing off the pink-haired girl. Karin appears at the wall and earns his attention with a call, "Sasuke. Hinata took the boy here… again, what is she thinking?"

"Take them here. Lift her up so she won't drown." Sasuke walks away and says, "She'll wake up once she's out the place." Karin glares at the girl and frowns harder as the blood lifts up the unconscious body, _'If that boy likes her that much… then I can use her to stop Sasuke from getting too close to that boy.' _Hands come from the floor and hold the regions under Sakura's knees, her shoulders and her butt up from the blood. She seems to float and Sai appears near Karin, "He'll punish you if ever he knew you'll be hosting a situation to take Naruto away from him."

"He should never make contact with humans. They… they will just be hurting him in the end. I won't let them hurt Sasuke one more time. He's been hurt for so long…" Karin drops her head and then she shoots glares at Sai, "If you ever get in my way, I. Will. Kill. You. Understand?" Sai smiles at her and does a curtsey, "Right on, Your Highness."

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno**

**Night 4: Crossing Over?**

'_A little understanding… a big soul to save…'_

"Sakura!" Naruto yells as Hinata pulls the chair towards a direction. Naruto asks, "Hinata, can't we get faster?" Hinata twitches and let goes of the handle. Naruto wonders and hands comes from the behind them. A pair grabs the handle and pushes Naruto towards their direction faster. Roller coaster speed and Naruto has to grab the armrest to ensure a no-fall ride. He looks back and Hinata stays behind with worried eyes. Naruto sits back and remembers that Karin controls those arms. Naruto gulps, _'Are they… up to something?'_

He then reaches a wall of blood and the wheelchair stops. Naruto frowns and… stands up. He then walks through the wall and begins to swim in the red, odorous liquid. He gets hurt in every second and it seems to drain out his energy. He swims slower but then he pushes through to reach the top. He swims some more and it feels like the blood pool has no surface. He's starting lose much oxygen and he's going to drown. His limbs stops moving and he seems to drift down the red pool. Then he feels someone get him and raises him a bit. He looks down and sees Sasuke holding him. The raven swims up and nears his face to Naruto's while still holding him. Naruto begins to close his eyes as his consciousness drifts away. Sasuke kisses the blond and he completely gives in to unconsciousness…

'_I'm sorry, Sasuke. Please… don't drag Sakura into this…'_

000ooo000

"Minato?"

"Huh?" The guy wakes up and Kushina hugs him tight. He wonders and looks around to see the somehow relieved Kiba and Ino. He gazes at the bed and he twitches seeing no Naruto, "Kushina? Where's Naruto?" Kushina restrains her tears and she mumbles, "He went… to save Miss Sakura. He'll be back." Minato is about to say something when the lights starts to flicker. Everyone looks up at the twinkling lamps and Minato says, "Uhm, what's going on?"

"Announcement! We are advising everyone to stay in their rooms for the night. Visitors are requested not to leave till 4 am. I repeat, we are requesting everyone to stay in the rooms. Please do not wander at the corridors. We are having a problem with the lightings so the lights flicker. Please bear with us." The speakers boom and everyone chatters about announcement and Minato blurts out, "What is happening?"

"The moon will be full tonight." An unfamiliar voice speaks and Minato shrieks and accidentally crashes to Kushina. The woman manages to endure the impact and murmurs, "Miss… Hinata? Where's Naruto?" Hinata sits down the bed and Ino seems to get away from her, dragging Kiba with her. She smiles, "Naruto's… doing fine. He'll be back with Sakura anytime soon. And Sasuke asked me to stay with you for the night. Since the moon is full, the Realm of the Dead will fuse with the Human Realm. The spirits will attack every human that they will see. This room… produces a strong aura and many spirits will be trying to get in here."

"What?" Minato gets more confused and Kushina just embraces the guy and says, "This Sasuke… what exactly does he want?" Hinata twitches and smiles as she shakes her head. Ino then yells, "So is Sakura… still alive? Is she doing good?" Hinata refuses to answer and the lights continue to flicker. Kiba stares at the beautiful lady… forgetting that she is a ghost. Hinata then kneels down the floor and touches Minato's head, "You don't have to get so scared, Mister Minato. These experiences prove to you that your son is not hallucinating…"

000ooo000

Weird.

The blond feels weird as soon as he wakes up in the room. His hand flies to his lips… remembering about the kiss Sasuke has given him again.

Naruto then sits up and find himself in a bed… a bloody bed. He knows where he is and he looks around for a certain someone. He sits up and gets off the bed. He opens the door and looks around the dark hallways. A flash appears above him and he looks up to see a flickering lamp. He proceeds to a direction and it seems like he is getting too deep to actually walk with ease. He then sees a man standing in the dark. He calls, "Sasuke?"

The figure vanishes and he runs to where the guy was standing. Then an eye-popping scene lies before the blond. He sees Sakura covered with blood and burnt clothes marked with cinders. She is hanging from the ceiling like a puppet and she is held by the bloody hands. He runs to Sakura and yells, "Sakura! Sakura!" He touches her knees and the hands drop her to Naruto's arms. The blond wakes her up with a shake, "Oi, Sakura! Wake up! Please wake up!"

Heels click against the floor as a nurse rushes towards them. Naruto twitches seeing a nurse and she says, "Oh my! What happened to her? Haven't you heard the announcement? Please be in your room, now." The nurse assists Naruto carry Sakura back to his room and the door opens. Kushina stands up and Minato carries the unconscious Sakura to the bed. Kiba and Ino wonders seeing Naruto walking fine again. Naruto twitches as Hinata waves hi at him… and then he smiles back. The nurse talks to Kushina about the problem and tells them to keep everyone inside. She leaves and Kushina closes the door. Minato covers her with the blanket and Ino goes to Sakura and shakes her, "Sakura! Wake up, please!"

"Uhh…" Sakura is starting to wake up and Ino hugs her tight. The pinky opens her eyes and sees a teary Ino hugging her. She smiles, "Ino! I thought I won't be able to see you again!" The best friends hug each other and Kiba sighs, "Oh dear." Kushina smiles and Minato scratches his head and then seriously asks Sakura, "What happened to your clothes?" The pinky twitches and looks away. Ino gives a worried expression and Kiba comments, "You don't look like raped to me."

"That… guy Sasuke." Sakura darkly speaks and everyone listens to her. She glares at Naruto, "He tried to burn me alive. Do you even know how painful it is? I thought I would be dead by now." She then turns to Hinata, "And you… you are also here to kill me. Why does everybody want me dead? I'm not doing anything wrong!" Ino holds Sakura tight but the pinky continues to yell at Naruto and Hinata, "Oh, I remember what they have been talking about! They're all fucking dead-set to kill me… because of Uzumaki! But he's just—"

"Say another word and I'll kill you right here." Hinata snaps and the pinky twitches. Naruto looks at Hinata and the brunette drops her head as she stands up. Then she bares her bloodshot eyes and scary face, "You're right. Everybody wants you dead… but not just because Naruto likes you. It's also your attitude that makes us… lust for your head in a platter. Remember, tonight is a full moon that's why you don't feel the after effects of Sasuke's flames. Once the morning sun comes out, you… will be begging." She disappears and Minato looks at Naruto and then to Sakura. He thinks, _'They'll be back at their normal states when the sun comes up?'_

000ooo000

Sasuke is sitting at his bed as usual and is waiting for the morning sun. He cannot endure the thought that they co-exist with the other humans right then. But something else is bothering him at the very moment. He takes a deep breath and then the walls begin to wriggle. Karin comes out and she greets Sasuke, "How're you feeling?"

"Not good." The raven answers honestly and Karin knows why. She seems to sit at the edge of the bed and she embraces the raven, "I have told you, Sasuke. Humans will only hurt you… just leave them alone. They are just… good at making good impression. They would never help you…" Sasuke looks over his shoulder to see the red locks and say, "Karin… don't dare to do what you're thinking…"

"What do you mean?" The redhead looks at those onyx eyes and seems to reach for the guy's lips, "I would never hurt you, Sasuke. That's a promise of a lifetime…" Sasuke looks back at the window and says, "Then leave Naruto and that girl to me." Karin twitches and let goes of Sasuke. The raven smirks maliciously and his bloodshot eyes appear after days of being hidden, "Then I just have to convince Naruto to leave that girl."

"I'll do it for you, Sasuke." The redhead says and the raven looks at her… waiting for any addendum. She continues, "I will do everything that you want!" Sasuke glares at her and continues to glare. Karin knows it is a big no and so she drops her head and submerges back to the walls. She speaks before completely leaving, "You will be hurting yourself. And I won't allow that to happen." Sasuke looks back at the window and whispers, "Let's see what YOU are going to do."

000ooo000

The clock ticks 3 am and Sakura feels something funny running in her system. They have spent the night talking and now the effect of the full moon is vanishing. Naruto starts to feel the raging pain within him and he lies down the bed. Kushina gasps and tries to help Naruto ease the pain by rubbing her healing hands at Naruto's back. Sakura feels weak in an instant and she falls to the floor. Ino catches her and she drags her to the edge of the bed. Sakura starts to feel suffocated and so Minato calls for a nurse. The humans seem to know… that this is what Hinata is talking about.

Unable to move.

A respirator locked at her mouth.

Aside from breathing, she can only hear… and cry.

She is much worse than Naruto and she is bedridden the whole morning. Her room is the one beside Naruto and Ino is with her for almost 24/7. Patients like her can't be left alone… based from what the doctors have advised. She is crying… crying and crying. She feels like comatose but she's wide awake. She can't even open her eyes to see Ino or the sun.

Pitiful being.

She describes herself… and her anger for Naruto has not been forgotten. The blame is on him and she will never forgive Naruto if she will continue to be like that for the rest of her life. He is the sole reason why she is burned— more like why her soul is burned by the hellfire-like flames of the raven guy. If only…

'_If only I can leave this place now.' _Sakura continues to cry. Ino wipes the tears coming out from Sakura's eyes and she remembers the fact that her friend is suffering because of the blond guy. The temperature starts to fall and Ino gets alert… knowing that it could be one of those who want Sakura dead. The walls start to wave and Ino gasps… it would be Karin, the wall girl.

"This wouldn't happen to you if Hinata knows how to listen." Karin appears from the ceiling and Sakura suddenly has the energy to open her eyes. She sees the redhead hanging from the ceiling. She smiles at the pinky, "Greetings, Haruno Sakura. My name is Karin and I will be giving you the ability to feel normal when I am around… much like what happens to Naruto when the other ghosts are present."

"Normal?" Sakura starts to talk… and gawd, she missed her voice. She cries some more and Ino embraces her as the both of them looks at where Karin is. She continues to talk, "When will I get out of here? I don't want to get near Naruto anymore! It's not like we're… so close." Sakura looks away and Karin smirks some more, "But that doesn't really mean that you are not interested in him."

"Huh! I had enough!" Sakura yells and Ino eyes at her, "I don't like getting near him NOW! After all what I had seen and experienced here! I am not going to date a ghost magnet!" Karin extends towards her and nears her face at Sakura to whisper, "To be honest, both of you are really in a comatose state. You are just awake because of the so-called curse of this hospital. The only way to get out of here is either to die… or to have somebody take you out of here. A hospital transfer will be ideal. In your case, you don't really give a damn to help us. But if you have a hospital transfer… you will be in a very good comatose state… never to awaken again."

"What?" Sakura murmurs and Ino looks at Sakura and then to Karin. She asks, "Then there's no way out… alive?" Karin looks at Ino and mumbles, "There is… but it'll be a… NO, that is not a choice. I won't let you take Sasuke away from me!" She returns back to the ceiling and says, "There is only one way left and I'm not giving you that choice. Sasuke is the most precious person in my life! I'd rather kill the both of you to save him!" She vanishes and Sakura whispers, "We… we need to…" The energy drains out and Sakura's back to the normal state. Ino gets the idea of the last way, _'But… how are we going to do that?'_

000ooo000

Naruto is just staying at his bed… resting with his eyes closed. A caress from Hinata's hand wakes him up and he looks at her at the side of his bed. She smiles and says, "How're you feeling, Naruto?" Naruto smiles back and answers, "A bit fine… but whenever I think of Sakura's condition… I don't know what can I do?"

"Only Sasuke can help you with her. It's his flames that burned her after all. I'm sorry, Naruto. I did my best to help you… but Sasuke and Karin are desperate people. And even you." Naruto twitches at the mentioning of his name as Hinata continues, "When you know how to dispel the flames' effect. Nothing else will be stopping you. And it's going to be a sad ending." Naruto pulls himself up and sits beside Hinata, "Do I need to kill Sasuke to dispel the effect of those flames?"

"Not really… you just have to ease Sasuke's hatred. But doing so… might make him crossover and leave the place." Hinata runs her hand at Naruto's hair. She will be sobbing in no time, "Sasuke… might sound to be a very deadly ghost but… we share a beautiful friendship. And he's not suppressing everyone in this place. Discipline has been established and almost everyone will miss Sasuke if you decide to make him go away."

"Of course that will not happen." Karin suddenly emerges from the ceiling and grabs Naruto. She pulls him up… through the ceiling. Naruto, being not able to move that much, can't do anything but to let the redhead strangle him. Hinata yells at Karin, "Karin! Put him down!" Karin eyes at her and smirks. Blood hands grab Naruto's legs and Karin starts to skid his back at the walls with intense speed. Hinata tries to help but the blood hands seem to keep her busy. She calls, "Naruto!"

"Karin… why… are you doing this?" Naruto speaks despite the situation and Karin glares at him, "You are the new source of Sasuke's misery! I shall eliminate you!" Naruto continues to look at Karin and he whispers, "You love him, don't you?" Karin stops and she yells at the blond, "No one… takes Sasuke from me. I can't let you… hurt him just because of that girl. I really plan on using her… but with her, having an idea how to heal herself? No. I have to kill the both of you then!"

"And Sasuke… he will… hurt you, too, in the end." Naruto whispers and Karin smiles, "I'm fine with anything that wouldn't hurt him." Naruto tries to move and holds her arm, "You must have lost the most precious person in your life before. And you're trying to protect the new one now with everything you can…"

"What does a human like you know of my sufferings?"

"Because you're a human before… and I know how it hurts to lose a loved one… more likely when you have something to tell him…"

Karin freezes… and her aura seems to lighten and she feels something… strange. She closes her eyes, _'What is this? It feels like…'_

"Suigetsu?"

…

"Oi! Karin!" A guy calls and Karin twitches and gasps seeing the guy before her, "Suigetsu?" The guy raises a brow and asks, "Stop spacing out in the middle of the way. You might just step on a dog crap and or something worse." Karin looks down and she runs her hands around her waist. She feels good seeing her body whole again. She looks around to see the busy streets she used to walk at. The skies outside the MedCenter and the guy she had yearned for. Suigetsu flicks her forehead and asks, "Is something wrong? Karin, you suddenly started acting weird. You said you want to say something."

"Uh, that?" Karin murmurs and Suigetsu gets near her and repeats, "Yeah, that." Karin turns around and blushes, _'I know what will happen next? But to seriously blurt it out of the blue… will make him laugh. He might even think I'm pulling his leg. But when? When will I—'_

Suigetsu hits her butt with his bag and she shrieks and yells at him with an utter blush, "Ahh! What do you think you're doing, Hozuki Suigetsu!" The guy smiles and laughs, "I see. I just need a little effort rather than words. Seriously, Karin, are you—"

"I love you, Suigetsu."

"Drunk?" Suigetsu appears to be surprised and stares at the blushing Karin. She looks up to the now laughing guy and she says, "And why are you laughing!" Suigetsu holds her head and pats it lightly, "There's no way you love me! Come on, girl. You got'ta be kidding me! Let's just go home—"

"Why don't you believe me?" Karin murmurs and Suigetsu turns to her… with a serious face, "Don't play around with me, Karin." He turns away and proceeds walking. Karin bits her lips and yells for everyone to hear, "I can't believe I really did fall in love with a— with a very— with a very STUPID AIRHEAD like you, Hozuki Suigetsu!"

"It's because it's not me!" he yells back and Karin yells again, "I will! I will— erase you now, you fucking bastard!" She runs away… not noticing that Suigetsu looks back at her. The guy seems to call out again and try to go after her. But she has run too far and fast… not entertaining another word from the guy.

She has run too far and cried well enough to banish the pain. She takes off her glasses and wipes her eyes. She puts on the glasses again and walks a bit farther. Then she looks back… not seeing any Suigetsu. She grinds her teeth more and huffs. She walks madly at the streets and she gets bumped into another guy. The guy smiles and says, "Karin-san."

"Who on Earth would you be?" she snaps and the guy reintroduces himself but Karin does not remember anyone with the name. She refuses to talk some more and leaves the guy behind. But he grabs her arm and she growls, "Hey! I'll yell maniac if you insist on holding me!" The guy smiles maliciously at her and lets her go. She gets scared suddenly and she runs away.

She reaches the dorm and she runs pass Suigetsu who just followed her with his eyes. She locks herself in her room and shoves herself at her bed, _'This feeling… that smile. It's him… he killed me!' _She sits up and touches her waist and cries, "I tried to correct things! But he doesn't believe me… am I going to die again? Without him realizing that I am sincere when I told him… I love him?"

"Seriously, Karin! Die again?" Karin twitches and looks at the door. Suigetsu is standing there with a lock pick in hand, "What exactly are you talking about? Are you getting crazy?" Karin frowns and looks at the mirror. She grinds her teeth once more, _'This must be… one of that cursed brat's tricks! But we are the only ones to can do this!'_ "That blond has no power to take me back here!"

"Karin!" Suigetsu holds her when she starts to punch the mirror. Her hands shatter the mirror and she still wants to ruin some more things. Her hands run to the walls, leaving prints of bloody hands. Karin breaks free and runs out the dorm. Suigetsu follows her and she gets to the streets…

'_My legs… won't stop moving. STOP! The car will come!'_

The scenes start to move slower and Karin is well aware of the next things to come. Like in her memory, a car is dashing towards her. She stands in the road… waiting for the car. The guy yells but it's not getting into her. He tries to save her but it is too late.

Splatter!

A certain red liquid splatters and the place and every witness gasps at the scene. The car crashes to the tree but the wood is too sturdy to be moved. The sharp bumper had done its damage and Karin starts to let blood flow from her mouth. Suigetsu runs to her and cries, "Karin! Hand in there! Please!"

"Suigetsu… run… he's gon'na kill you, too…"

"Who?" Suigetsu asks and the guy earlier gets out of the car. He aims a shotgun at the guy's head and he laughs, "Adios!'

Bang.

No.

Yes…

The gun gets aimed at her face as well and another shot is heard. The by-standers run away from the utter crime scene and the household people hide inside their homes. Half of her face gets broken and she seems to be dead. But her eye moves and stares at the man. He loads the weapon yet again but a police fire gets to him. He collapses at the side of the car and the rescue has come. Suigetsu is hopeless so they are trying to save the girl.

'_Everything played just as I remember… but I thought I can alter it by telling him— wait…'_

"Have I already told him?"

The place starts to break and she reaches for Suigetsu's body at her side… "Why? Why you, too?"

…

She twitches as the view resumes to Naruto and at the MedCenter. She looks at Naruto and he says, "Can you put me down now?" Karin let goes of him and Hinata tries to catch him. The redhead looks at her hands and she seems to start fading. She cries, "Hinata! What's going on!"

"Karin, I—" Hinata murmurs… not knowing why her fellow ghost starts to fade. Karin cries, "I… I don't want this to happen! Sasuke! I want to stay longer with him! What did you do to me!" She charges to Naruto and he seems to be clueless as well. She continues to cry and she fades away completely. Hinata cries, "Karin…"

"What happened?" A squeak from the blond and nothing else has been heard.

[End of Chapter Four]

**Izuna**: Rei-san have dismissed the idea of making Hidan and Kakuzu host the end comments for now… since Kakuzu is requesting so much talent fee. Well, that's the first one she wants me to say *ignores the paper I gave him*. And since she is still collecting money for Kakuzu-san's talent fee, I'll be hosting this part alone. And if you don't know me, I'm uhh… I'm not exactly sure how to introduce myself. She noted that… you guys can just **google** my name, Uchiha Izuna. What is google? Is that a jutsu?

**Rei**: *places a paper at Izuna's hands, taking the first one, since he didn't read it*

**Izuna**: She says… huh? *scratches his head*

**Rei**: *smiles* It's an information gathering jutsu, Izuna. The fastest one you can do. Not much chakra is needed. *returns the first paper to him and taking the other one*

**Izuna**: It's quite good I have Rei-san with me. I don't really understand everything that's written here. The first ones are verbally explained, fortunately.

**Rei**: It's because it's written in romanji, dear.

**Madara**: How dare you make my brother look so idiotic?

**Rei**: *smiles from ear to ear* Hey, Maddie! Want to help me annoy Kakuzu to do the end comments at the next chapter?

**Izuna**: Cute nickname.

**Madara**: I don't have time for that, Rei Haruno. And don't call me Maddie.

**Rei**: Do it or I'll make you wear BIKINI! *displays a two-piece female's bikini picture at the board behind*

**Izuna**: *ROTFL* or *ROFL* or *RTFL* (whichever you can understand)

**Madara**: *pissed off* I am quite surprise my rinnegan and sharingan couldn't even work on someone like you. You don't look special as well.

**Rei**: You know I'm joking, Maddie! Here, read this! *gives a paper to Maddie, I mean Madara*

**Madara**: This is the real end comments. There is nothing much to say… but…

Thank you for reading Dreamcatcher Nights. Watch out for the appearance of these brothers in later chapters.

And thank you for laughing with her if you find this part stupid, she says funny. Smiling face…

**Rei**: PS. No need to google, I had told enough.


	5. Curse of the Center

_Karin cries, "I… I don't want this to happen! Sasuke! I want to stay longer with him! What did you do to me!" She charges to Naruto and he seems to be clueless as well. She continues to cry and she fades away completely. Hinata cries, "Karin…"_

"_What happened?" A squeak from the blond and nothing else has been heard._

Naruto gulps and looks at Hinata. The brunette looks at him and says, "It's… not your fault. This must some kind of accident. And Karin… she can't be gone." Naruto stands up and tries to get out of the room. But he collapses as he reaches the doorway before him. He slams at the floor hardly and Hinata only manages to pull on his leg to tug him back the room. She whimpers, "It's morning, Naruto. You can't go out without a wheelchair." She calls forth her bewitched wheelchair and Naruto sits on it. She materializes herself and pushes the chair out the room.

000ooo000

Hinata looks around and sees a crowd of rushing doctors and nurses to a direction. Naruto gets eager to go there and so they follow the mass. The new nurse assigned to Naruto sees him and gets bothered that the fact that she doesn't see Hinata. She asks, "How'd you get here, Naruto?" He twitches and Hinata whispers that she can't be seen. Naruto then asks, ignoring the first question, "What's going on? Is there an emergency?"

"Uhm." The nurse hesitates to say but she continues, "One of the so-called lost patients starts to show movements. We need to check her out. She's been in comatose for almost… 10 years. But… she does not age. When she seems to move, we have to get there and see what happened." She takes the chair and Hinata follows them like she's just another nurse tagging along.

They reach a room and the doctors are trying to stabilize the patient inside. The other nurses chatter with each other and one says, "She's… really alive. She acts like she's been back from the dead." The others agree and Naruto struggles to get a look, despite the crowd. His nurse pulls him away though and takes him back to his room for now. She promises, "I'll take you there when the patient calms down, okay? For now, stay here." She then mumbles as she looks around the place, "This room gives me the creeps. His former nurse has disappeared before… I wish I won't be the next on the list."

"That patient. Who is she?" Naruto asks and the nurse smiles at him, "I see, you are a bit… nosy. Leave the other patients alone and take care of yourself first. If you're a little better, then perhaps, we can let you wander around on your own." Naruto makes a frown and she leaves him alone. Hinata gets the handles and says, "It feels like… something strange is happening. It's the first time a so-called lost patient awakens. What is causing this?"

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno**

**Chapter 5: The Curse of the Center**

'_I knew it… it CAN be helped.'_

"Whatever it is, we need to find it out… and help some more of them." Naruto smiles and Hinata smiles back and then nods. They waited for some time, exactly after lunch, and they go back to the room where the patient should be. But they catch nurses running around and the new nurse finds him yet again. She sighs and takes the wheelchair, "Naruto, why are you here? I told you I'll—"

"What's happening? Why are you—?"

"The patient is missing. She is far worse than your condition. She shouldn't move or she might…" The nurse pushes the wheelchair back to his room but they spot Kushina and Minato afar… assisting a patient. Hinata takes the chair pushes it towards the married couple.

Minato is trying to assist a patient who is banging at the locked door… and then to the wall… then back to the locked door. She does not yell or cry. She is very persistent in trying to open the door. Kushina tries to stop her, "Miss, please stop. No one is permitted to enter the room." The patient refuses to stop and eventually loses her strength as her waist starts to hurt. She slides from Minato's grip and resorts to rest at a kneeling position at the floor. Naruto and Hinata reach them and he asks, "Mom… who's that?"

"…" the girl stops from struggling and Kushina can't answer right away… readying for the girl's thought-so outburst. She turns to Naruto and whispers, "Naruto… how?"

It is Karin.

Karin, in her human— no, her real form. She is no ghost… that's for sure.

Half her face is covered by bandages and as well as her waist. She starts to get bloody and the nurse comes with the other nurses to assist the redhead patient. She reaches out her hand and Naruto gets it. She mouths her words, "Sasuke… why can't I see Sasuke?" Naruto didn't answer and the nurses have taken her away. Hinata clasps her hand and she smiles as tears run from her eyes, "Karin. Naruto, she… she has awaken from her comatose state! You think I can do the same? If… I'm not really dead yet?"

"Don't give up, Hinata. Let's first find a way how it happened." Naruto smiles and looks at his clueless parents. He beams, "Mom! Dad! You wouldn't believe what happened!"

000ooo000

"She'll be fine as long as she does not move so much." The nurse in charge tells the Uzumaki family about the condition of Karin. Minato scratches his head and Kushina seems to get glad. The nurse then snaps, "About the bills—"

"Nuh-uh! We're just asking about her condition. Don't… put her bills on me please." Minato pleads childishly and the nurse understands. She leaves Karin to the Uzumaki family. Karin feels uncomfortable with her corset-like brace with is strapped at her shoulders and thighs. She gazes at the humans and at Hinata… she huffs, "I… I demand for an answer. How come I… just woke up in my human body. It feels strange… I should be…"

"Dead?" Naruto finishes her statement and Hinata drops her head, "I… don't know as well, Karin. For now, let's wait for the night to fall. And we go hunting for answers." Karin exclaims, paining herself in the process, "I cannot wait till— uhh, night time. I want to see Sasuke now." Kushina assist her stand up and Naruto says with a smile, "Hinata and I, we cannot wait till night time as well… but that's the only time we can access Sasuke's room through the other realm. And it's the only time the both of us can walk properly. So we have to be patient, Karin."

"Sai." Karin whispers and speaks without anyone particular to say it to, "He can… ask around for us." Hinata smiles and stands up. She goes to the door and opens it, "Then I'll look for Sai to help us. I'll tell him about you, too, Karin. Naruto. Miss Kushina. Mister Minato. Karin. Take care…" She goes out and she disappears. Karin sits at the edge of Naruto's bed, trying to rest her legs despite the fact that she shouldn't really sit down, "I'm not really comfortable of the pain I'm feeling. But it's less painful than Sasuke's flames."

"You'll get used to that, Karin. But don't worry, I'll find a way to know what happened to you." Naruto smiles and Karin raises a brow, "Will I be back to my ghost form when you do? I doubt it." Naruto twitches and pouts madly, "And it's not like I'm going to bring you back in that state. And if it's Sasuke you want, I want to know…" He tries to sit up despite the fact that Hinata is not present anymore. Kushina helps him up and he smiles at the redhead, "If there's a way for me to bring him back to being a human as well!"

"Naruto." Karin whispers and Minato scratches his head, "Seriously, I don't think any of these will help." Kushina gazes at the papers Minato has been reading. She gets amused with the number of the pages and she says, "Hey, what kind of book are you reading?" Minato shows her the files and she reads with her eyes. Karin grabs the later pages from Minato's grip. Because of that, Minato drops the papers and they clutter the place.

A paper flies to Naruto's face and he grabs it off. He reads the contents, "… and it resulted to the loss of tight competence with the other hospitals in the state. Monopoly had boosted the generated revenue of the medical section and the finance…" He looks at Minato, "What is this?"

"I have gathered every piece of information about the medical center. Maybe we can tell where the stupid curse started… but by the look of things…" He scratches yet again and Karin drops the papers she is holding to the ground, "This is futile. And your theory is… unreasonable."

"Year 1939, during the New Year's Eve celebration, the UM MedCenter was having a hard time accumulating all the patients that have been caught at the disaster in the sports center. But the situation had become much worse when an explosion shook the whole center and the hospital burned from the inside. The hospital staff had only saved those who are outside and those who are on the reception room by then. More than 80% of their recorded patients were killed in the disaster, the second one at the opening of 1940. _(The Dragon has come to the two centers literally!)_ Instead of getting a suspension, the facility continued operating until present times."

"Can you believe that?" Kushina says and Minato picks up the other pieces of papers. The two teens seem to know about the fire. Naruto remembers the incident Sasuke took him back to. Karin has heard of this terrifying happening… since she is confined after the fire and during the times that people has seem to forget about it. Naruto drops his head and whispers, "At least… we have something about the tragedies that has taken place in this center."

000ooo000

Sakura lies at her bed alone… getting deaf by the silence of the place. She breathes loudly and seems to feel something funny again. A hand runs at her arm and she seems to have the strength to sit up and look around. And so she did. She rises from bed and sees the detached arm that runs its fingers at her arm. She grabs it and says, "Sai."

"How're you feeling, Sakura?" Sai appears at the side and his arm gets pulled away from the girl. The pink-haired girl frowns at him and she asks, "What are you doing here? And… do you know how I can kill Sasuke?"

"You? Killing Sasuke?"

"I will." Sakura eyes at him with determined buds, "That is the only way to take the effects of his flames on my soul."

"I see. I'm sorry, I don't know." Sai smiles and it irks the pinky. She sighs and speaks some more, "Then I have to know it on my own. I don't expect the other girl to say it." Sai sits at her bed and caps his hand at her shoulder, "I know a way to find that out. You want to try it? It's deep within the other realm so you have to be cautious… very cautious."

"You have to go with me then."

"Since I seem to be a pet to all women who have red-shaded hair, I would love to."

"Take me there tonight…"

"We need to take care of something first, okay?"

"What is it?"

"Just a big burden."

000ooo000

The two parties have waited for the night to come but the day seems to drag along. The time starts to get slower and Naruto decides to be alone for the time being. He wants to sleep but the thought of sleeping hasn't remained. He stares at the blank ceiling and remembers the scene at the old UM MedCenter before and during the fire had broke out…

'_He has been suffering for more than 7 decades… but why didn't anyone save him? Did no one try to?'_

He continues to stare at the ceiling…

Blink.

Blank.

Blink.

A man looks down at him from his side. Getting startled, Naruto gasps and looks to his side. He sees a young man and the man smiles at him. Naruto rises from his bed and says, "You're a ghost, too?" The man continues to smile and sits at the edge of the bed, "Greetings, Naruto. It seems like people from this hospital have been around you. It's nice to meet you, my name is Izuna. I've seen and heard everything that you do. And it seems to me that you wanted to end the curse shrouding this place. Correct?"

"Yes." Naruto answers, "I wanted to save them from the prolonged misery their souls have been suffering from. I know they must be overjoyed in whatever they have by now. But the truth is… it's all an illusion. More like a dream they wouldn't want to wake up from."

"But doing so… might take them away from you."

"… but I will be releasing them from their… suffering. I will be happier that way than to be with them… their pain intact. They are souls… you are souls. You're supposed to be… resting your eyes, mind and heart by now."

"One last question, young one…"

Naruto looks at the guy and he fades into nothingness, "What if… with what you're doing… you're causing him more pain?"

"…" Naruto feels weak once again and he slams back to the bed. He knows what exactly Izuna means and his sudden appearance makes him worry. He looks around and tries to reach for the nurse assistance button. He stretches his arm as much as he can take the pain of doing so. He just needs some… more… stret—

Kablam!

He falls to the floor and he curses under his breath, "Shit. When did my bed get so far from the button?" He crawls to the chair and tries to stand up, or to sit up at least. But his wounds have started bleeding again… much to his surprise. He's supposed to be completely healed up. Naruto tries to turn to the ceiling, now lying on his side at the cold floor. He stares at his blood-painted pants and at the blood pool he is creating. The feeling of hemorrhage is going back…

What is happening? Is he…

Dying?

He starts to lose air as well and he swims at the floor grasping for breath. He grabs his neckline and tries to pull it off, like he's trying to pull open his chest. He scratches his neck and it starts to bleed as well. He tries to call for help… but he doesn't have enough air to do so.

Drowning.

Suffocated.

Bleeding.

…

He finally gives a last shooting of legs…and closes his eyes. The last bit of energy has left his body and it fails to move anymore. The blond rests at the floor like a dead guy…

What happened?

Maybe they will find out.

000ooo000

Karin picks the lock at Sasuke's room. It opens… and there lies… a bloody bed. She wonders and goes in, carefully closing the door behind her. She walks to the bed and calls, "Sasuke? Are you there?" She examines the bed more and notices the waving blanket. Life-support tubes are running deep beneath the red blotted covers. She flattens her hand over the red thing and feels…

"Ahh!" She gasps as her hand seems to get burned. Her palm reddens and she yells at the bed, "Sasuke! Wake up! I need to talk to you!"

"How'd—?" A nurse goes in and she sees Karin at the place. She demands, "This place is off-limits, young woman. Please leave at once." Karin grinds her teeth and wonders why no hands of blood come from the walls. She then remembers that she's human now… deprived of her powers. She drops her head and says, "What is this place off-limits? Did something happen here?"

"No more questions, please." Karin gets dragged out from the room and the nurse locks it tight once again. She takes Karin back to her room and leaves her there. The redhead huffs and she sits at her bed. She looks around and sees a framed picture at her side drawer. She wonders what that could be and so she wipes the dust off the glass.

It is her with Suigetsu… at his room back there at the dorm. They are both lying stomach flat at the bed and books lie before them. Karin gets teary and whisper, "We were studying for the college entrance exams. We're supposed to be…" She starts to sniff as she talks to herself about the photo, "Schooling at a prestigious university together. This was already late night… and we were still up… reviewing and talking about other things. I… crashed at his pillow and he… he slept besides me."

"Karin." Izuna comes out from nowhere and it alarms Karin. But she turns to him with tears running down her face. She wipes them off and she says, "Izuna. What are you doing here? And for almost a year of absence…"

"Forgive me for not being around, Karin." Izuna smiles and helps Karin clean up her face. He then looks at the picture, "After you have been confined here, your mother brought that picture and leave it with you… hoping that it will make you feel your boyfriend's with you all along." Karin sniffs and clears away her sobs and anything else accompanying her tears. Izuna asks in his normal gentle tone, "How're you feeling, Karin? Do you enjoy being a human again?"

"No, Izuna." Karin answers shortly then she turns to him with her normal sharp eyes, "I feel so weak. I want… I want to be a ghost again." Izuna caps his hand at her head, "You can't be a ghost of anger. It's such a painful task… and a pitiful being. Your form has vanished and your misery has already ended thanks to Naruto. He had reminded you of the thing you have forgotten. Sadly, the curse of this place keeps you alive. Even if you died, you will still be alive in this place."

"I don't care! If… this curse ends, I won't be able to see Sasuke again!"

"Karin, you gain some, you lose some. That's life… no matter how you look at it. This curse is halting you from crossing over…" He stands up and recalls his hand. He bows and vanishes, "You might be able to see Suigetsu again… if you manage to get out of here, Karin."

"Izuna." She whispers and she lies down her bed… with the frame above her tummy, _'I don't want to vanish… I still do not want to.'_

000ooo000

Blood?

A red liquid drips from his head towards his eyes. Naruto stands up in a different place and he looks around the pitch-black grounds. He calls for anyone but only the whispering wind answers. He walks around the never-changing place…

Lost.

He feels very hurt and weak. He grasps for his breath and squeezes himself to keep the cold breeze from freezing him. He stops walking and he looks around. He breathes… the hot air becomes a cloud that appears before him. He pants heavily and calls yet again, "Anyone there? Sasuke! Hinata!" He looks around and whispers, "Izuna?"

"How come you knew of Izuna, Naruto?"

"Who are you?" Naruto flings around and sees… Sai. He smiles and then another figure comes out beside him. Naruto's eyes widens seeing his beloved Sakura and she crosses her arms at her chest, "Uzumaki, you don't really have to worry. I just need you to stay here while I'm at _it_."

"What are you doing, Sakura?" Naruto asks and Sakura smiles sweetly, "A little something about my condition. And your presence is really… not needed. So you have to stay here in Sai's place. Is that clear? And if you want me to forgive you… be a good dog and stay here. The cold won't kill you, luckily."

"…" Naruto frowns at the Sakura who seem to be not the girl he has known for months. She vanishes with Sai and her voice echoes around, "Just let me handle this thing myself. Just let me deal with that guy Sasuke." Naruto gasps and tries to run around… looking for a way out, _'Sakura! Stop!'_

He sees a faint figure and it seems to be other ghosts. He walks backwards to not get noticed. But the smell of his humanity lingers and so the ghosts get to spot him. He starts to run away… around the endless grounds of Sai's nightmare.

[End of Chapter Five]

PLACARD: **SAKURA = VILLAINESS**

**Naruto**: *stares at the placard overhead*…

**Sasuke**: *gazes at the placard as well then notices the camera getting near them* *holds the camera's _snout _because it gets too close* What kind of stupidity does she wants us to do now?

**Naruto**: *sees the camera and looks at the scene beside them*…

**Rei**: *playing Naruto Accel 2 vigorously with Kakashi* Proceed, you two! Don't disturb me!

**Naruto**: *sighs and finally starts the end comments* Since Rei is seriously working hard to earn much to pay Kakuzu's talent fee, she forced us to host the end comments. And like what you just saw up there, this is the part where Sakura-chan gets to be the villainess. She used to like Sakura-chan… but the whole ruling NaruSaku thing makes her flare up. She wonders why Sakura always gets the limelight in the endings of Naruto Shippuuden. (I DO like Sakura-chan but I have some more important things to do so I turned her down. But this is not one of those.)

**Sasuke**: It sounds irrelevant but it's not. She's making Sakura a villainess because she will be making me— I refuse to read the next words.

**Naruto**: What does it say? *takes the paper from Sasuke's hand* *blushes in embarrassment and crumples the paper* *throws it at me* BAKA! You're not making us DO THAT!

**Rei**: OUW! *finishes the game and Kakashi drops his head* *faces Naruto and Sasuke* You can even call me generous and kind, you two! You're doing much more intimate things in other works! (Sasuke's not complaining so get over it!) *points at Naruto, finger imprinted with a red spiral* And I am not Kishi-chan-sama to spare the either of you from the SasuNaru fever! (He made you kiss to start with!) (And you act so gay! I can't help myself!)

**Naruto**: Do your end comments on your own tte ba yo! (I'm not gay! I'm even a pervert, remember?)

**Rei**: You're just covering it up! (You even tried to seduce Sasuke!)

**Naruto**: No, I did not! (He's not even affected a bit!)

**Rei**: It's because he's not interested in girls!

**Naruto**: Huh?

**Kakashi**: Okay. That's enough, Naruto. Just do what she wants you to before she plans to change it to something much worse. *walks to the 'Kakuzu's Talent Fee' box and drops 10,000 ryou at the hole*

**Sasuke**: She'll be doing something stupid and that ends this insanity. *the curtain closes* *does a Chidori and aims at me*

**Rei**:*yelling at the background* AHHH! I didn't mean you! (Are you guilty, dear?)


	6. The Brother

_Sakura vanishes with Sai and her voice echoes around, "Just let me handle this thing myself. Just let me deal with that guy Sasuke." Naruto gasps and tries to run around… looking for a way out, 'Sakura! Stop!'_

_He sees a faint figure and it seems to be other ghosts. He walks backwards to not get noticed. But the smell of his humanity lingers and so the ghosts get to spot him. He starts to run away… around the endless grounds of Sai's nightmare._

There is nowhere to hide. The only thing Naruto can do is to run… until his legs reach their limits and for him to finally fall down to the invisible floor. Naruto rises up and shakes his head to avoid getting weak and exhausted. He looks around and sees the group of ghosts approaching. He sits up and tries to stand, knowing that he couldn't but he has to. Naruto winces in pain and he struggles to get up, _'Dammit, I have to get out of here. I know what Sasuke did to Sakura is surely unforgivable. And I know I am also responsible for this. But she's corrupting herself…'_

"_**Do you seriously believe that?"**_

'_Who are you?' _Naruto looks around and sees the place seems to freeze. He looks around more and sees a bloody patient standing in front of him. He is also half-burnt and blond. His head is dropped and seems to try and hide his face from Naruto. The voice says yet again, _**"There's no way you don't know me. We've met before, haven't we?" **_He raises his head and Naruto sees… himself, burnt and tortured. The one at the ceiling to be exact. Naruto pulls himself back and the other Naruto raises his arms to his sides like trying to claim to be not harmful, _**"We've met again."**_

"What do you mean?" Naruto asks the other him and the guy responds, _**"This is Sai's Realm and this is where they keep naughty ghosts. Just call me the Dark Naruto. Where was I? Heh. There, do you seriously believe you're responsible for the things? Don't you think you're innocent?"**_

"I…"

"_**Oh yes, you are the reason WHY Sakura was attacked by those head ghosts. But didn't you know that what she said is what made Sasuke grow so angry towards her? It's not really your fault… if Sakura sees you as a toy she owns." **_Dark Naruto vanishes and Naruto stays frozen at the ground.

'_Sakura… sees me as a toy?' _Naruto gets dazed by the matter and the hordes of ghosts are coming. The blond closes his eyes and tears run down his eyes, _'I…'_

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno**

**Chapter 6: The Brother**

'_The bringer of the Curse flies at the place again…'_

"Naruto." A soft voice of a female calls Naruto and he opens his eyes. It is Hinata and Naruto tries to stand up from the floor. He gazes at the clock and can't make out the numbers displayed by the digital clock. Hinata helps him up and sits him at the wheelchair, "It's already night time. We have to go to Sasuke, right?"

"…" Naruto wonders and looks at Hinata, "Sakura… she said she will be dealing with Sasuke alone." Hinata gasps and rolls the chair towards Sasuke's room, "Then we have to hurry! Sasuke has harmed her once. He can do that again!" Naruto, keeping what Dark Naruto has told him a while ago… _'Am I… that worthless to be a toy to her?'_

"Naruto." Hinata says in a very serious voice which earns Naruto's attention so fast, "Never listen to an entity from Sai's realm. They will all lie to you." Naruto twitches and asks, "How'd you know I—"

"I can tell from the aura inside your room a while ago." Hinata rolls faster and Naruto exclaims, "You mean— you mean it's all a lie?" Hinata stops and goes in front of him. She bends down a bit and smiles, "I'm not really sure… since I am not really sure which ghost you've talked to. It's not just that Sai's little minions… even Karin's puppets and Sasuke's confidants are locked up in Sai's realm. Do you know which one did you talked to?"

"… I'm not sure." Naruto drops his head and Hinata walks back behind him and rolls the wheelchair forward again. Naruto then closes his eyes, _'Is he telling the truth? Or is he just lying? I don't know what to think or do. Sasuke… please appear before me and tell me you won't hurt her.'_

"She deserves to die."

Naruto and Hinata twitches and they look at a direction. The burning room appears at the one nearest to them and Sasuke crawls out of the door. Naruto suddenly stands up and runs to Sasuke much to Hinata's surprise. He kneels down and asks, "Oi, Sasuke. Did you find Sakura? Do you know where she is?"

"Why do want to know where she is? If she's going pathetic about getting rid of me, I don't care." Sasuke sits up and Naruto grabs Sasuke's shoulder to make an outburst but Sasuke suddenly says, "They might be heading to the archives. Izuna guards the place and only… his brother is allowed to enter the place. Sai must be helping that woman… but it'll be very hard to get in the archives without Izuna's brother's permission. Sai knows that as well."

"If it's going to be dangerous… then we have to stop them." Naruto is about to run to a direction but fire draws a circle around him. It's so high that he couldn't cross. He yells at Sasuke as he flings to the guy, "What are you doing?" Sasuke smirks and floats in mid-air, "I'll take care of that girl. Just so you wait, Naruto. All you have to do now is to rest." Hinata only gazes at the scene, unable to know what she can do to help Naruto. Sasuke calls Hinata's attention, "You watch over Karin and Naruto. Tell Karin she'll be fine later."

"Don't kill the girl." Hinata says and Sasuke shows his bloodshot eyes and laughs out, "If she can survive what I'm about to do, that is!" He disappears and Naruto begins to get suffocated by the fire surrounding him. He struggles for air but everything's getting eaten by the fire. He collapses to the ground and makes Hinata gasps in worry. He stares at the empty hallway and whispers, "… Don't…"

000ooo000

"So where exactly are we going?" Sakura asks Sai and the guy smiles at her, "In the most forbidden part of the MedCenter. Even Sasuke is afraid of that place. But if you wanted to kill Sasuke or end the curse, that is where you should look for answers." Sakura looks straight at the horizon and thinks, _'Once I got rid of Sasuke, I'll be getting out of this place. And I will never ever talk to Uzumaki again. Dammit, I should have never visited him to begin with.'_

"Sakura." Sai calls the pinky and she turns to him… to see his serious face directed at the dark horizon where they gaze at a double door, "We're almost there. A very powerful spirit with the name of Izuna lies within. Though Sasuke's a bit more powerful, I can't say he'll be a piece of cake for _us_?" He smiles at her and she raises a brow, "So how am I exactly going to fight?"

"_**Such an easy question."**_

"Who's that?" Sakura gets alerted and Sai looks around to see no one. He gazes at Sakura, "Sakura. Here comes a spirit bound… either within my Realm or within the archives. Be careful in listening to them. Their words are poisonous." Sakura nods and she calms down a bit and asks, "How did you say so, spirit?"

"_**I know exactly how to escape your fate… and how to kill Sasuke." **_Sakura scowls and says, "I cannot trust you. I don't believe everything you say. So there is a way to do so."

"_**First you should know how to pull out your powers and then you can kill Sasuke."**_

"Powers?"

"_**What is it that you desire?"**_

"Freedom… from my current state… and kill Sasuke… and Naruto."

"_**Do you want to do it with your own hands?"**_

"Yes."

"_**Are you willing to spill human blood in this place? Are you willing to bathe in blood?"**_

"I am. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Sakura! Stop! It's amplifying your madness!" Sai warns her but she then smirks very maliciously. Dark aura starts to seep from her and her eyes are turning red. Sai steps back and is contemplating whatever step he can to… lessen the mess he'll be pushing Naruto towards. Sakura then laughs out loud and yells, "I will kill!"

"Not good." Sai vanishes from the place and Sakura starts to destroy the walls, "I'll get you for that!"

000ooo000

Naruto wakes up in his room with the other humans right there and Hinata is also there. He sits up much to their surprise. His mother embraces her son and she asks, "Naruto! What's happening? Where is Miss Sakura? She's gone." Naruto twitches and looks at Hinata. She nods and says, "She's bathing in so much hatred and she has gone mad. She must be with Sai and tries to do something with her condition."

"Then why didn't she even tell me?" Ino cries and Kiba says, "Do you know where she is?" The girl shakes her head and she looks at Karin, "Karin, it's almost time. Are you ready?" The redhead nods and they all gaze at the clock. Naruto gets surprise with the time as the clock reads 1:29. He gulps… not knowing what they are waiting for.

The minute hand moves and they hear Karin cry and see dark smokes seeping in her body. She walks to the wall and hugs it… she camouflages with it and the two merges like magic. The center holds more secrets than they imagine and they see Karin back to her normal ghost state. She smirks as she swims around the walls, "Lord Madara surely knows how to please me. Hinata, I'll be looking for— no need." She grows serious and they all turn to the mirror.

The reflection grows bloody and soon the whole room gets bloody. The women restrain their screams and they see Sai go through the door. He smiles at them, "Greetings, everyone. Hello, my name is Sai and I'm here to—"

"Tell us where Sakura is." Naruto says as he stands up from his bed. Sai drops the happy façade and looks at Karin, "Karin, do you know where Sasuke could be? We have a big problem." Karin twitches and Hinata asks Sai, earning his attention, "What's happening? Did you head for the Archives?"

"I was careless." Sai drops his head, "I didn't really know… and I am not aware that Izuna's back roaming the place." The clueless people stare at him and Karin asks, "So what if Izuna's back?"

"That means Madara's back as well… and he's going to take one into eternal damnation again. Karin, you're lucky, Naruto has already saved you." Sai says and he further explains, "Having you out the curse, Madara is trying to get another soul and turn her into something like us to shower more blood. In short, he needs someone to replace Karin." Sai looks at Naruto and drops his head in apology, "I know it's half my fault but I have to throw this thing at you, Naruto, because you managed to save Karin. You can still manage to save Sakura from this. She currently in Madara's hold and you won't be able to talk to her. All you can hear is the resentful Sakura… which she calls herself the Dark Sakura."

"Dark Sakura?" Ino echoes and Naruto suddenly twitches, "Huh? Is she like possessed by another ghost?" Sai shakes his head and says, "It's like… another part of one's soul. The human soul always has yin-yang balance and in Sakura's place, Dark Sakura completes her." Naruto is quite taken aback but then he manages to ask, "Are they even allowed to talk?" Karin gets near Naruto and asks something, "Let it out, _savior_. I know you're trying to ask something."

"Later when we're done with saving Sakura." Naruto answers and Hinata suddenly remembers something. She looks at Karin as the redhead coincidentally gazes at her as well. The redhead asks the dark haired femme, "What's wrong, Hinata?" Hinata drops her head and she whispers, "Sasuke… he said he will be dealing with Sakura on his own. Do you think he's going to kill her?"

"Seriously…" Sai holds Naruto's shoulder and gives an assured look, "He'll think it's better than to be like us." Naruto is about to say something when the three (Naruto, Karin and Sai) suddenly disappears from their sight. Kushina clasps her hands together like praying, "Naruto… please, take care."

000ooo000

Sasuke walks towards the archives and he knows someone will be welcoming him. He looks at the horizon… and waits for the moving figure to get near enough for him to recognize whoever that is. She walks and she ends up in front of him like yards away. She raises her bowed head and he sees the new face Sakura harbors. Her eyes are strong red and her face looks horrible (somehow comparable to an ugly vampire baring the fangs) A malicious smirk rises from her lips, "Sasuke, you walked exactly within my trap. Now, you're going to die."

"Revert back… I'll recall the effects of my flames." He says which shocks Dark Sakura and he continues, "I'm not letting Madara play with another soul in this hospital." The Dark Sakura laughs and she says, "So you mean you are willing to end the curse so he won't be able to damn another one? Are you willing to die?"

"…"

"How sure are you?" She takes a step forward and her loose tongue starts to lick her lips, "How sure are you that that stupid dumbass Naruto Uzumaki can save everyone? He just had pure luck with Karin… he never knew what to do!" Sasuke closes his eyes and opens them again, "He sure knows what to do. You'll see that when they get here."

"Oh really? Then you won't live long enough to witness that!" A red liquid starts to form behind her and she instantly wields a red bow with unlimited arrows. She starts to aim at Sasuke and the guy has no choice but to fight. He shapes his flames into swords and he will be attacking Sakura with it.

000ooo000

Naruto, Sai and Karin are travelling and Karin yells, "Dammit, Lord Madara's disrupting the aura flows. I can't tell where the archive is." Sai agrees and Naruto looks around. The hallways start to grow identical to get even the head ghosts lost in the maze within the center. Naruto then starts to feel a familiar presence and the two other looks at a certain direction. A figure leans at the wall and who is concealed by the shadows, _**"Oi, Naruto. Your head is surely twisted, isn't it? I told you, you can never take Sakura back now."**_

"I won't believe you. I can do this." Naruto turns to the shadow, "Dark Naruto." The two twitches and Dark Naruto walks outside the shadow. He gives a smirk and greets the head ghosts, gazing at Sai, _**"Greetings. I see you are trying your best to kill Naruto, huh." **_Karin has her eyes wide and Sai says, "How… how come you two are… separated?"

"_**Nice question."**_ Dark Naruto laughs and he says, _**"It's too early for you to know. But I can help you with something else. Instead of looking for the archives, you better look for Sasuke. I don't know how long he can keep up with the situation." **_Naruto twitches and Karin scowls at the figure as it disappears. Sai wonders and he looks at Karin. Karin says, "I guess we should better hurry. I don't like that 'keep up with the situation' that Dark Naruto has mentioned."

000ooo000

'_Red._

_All I see is red. Starting from the red liquid that drips from my forehead to the figures embracing everything in the center._

_Hot._

_I feel extreme pain whenever those figures of red spiky smoke kiss my body. And it feels like…_

_Burning._

_I look around… seeing nothing but the white smoke filling up the room. My lungs start to stop from breathing in the poisonous air and weakness starts to creep within me. I fall hardly to the supposed-to-be cold floor and pant for the next minutes of survival… which is impossible to happen._

_Death._

_It seems to creep and rob me of my hopes of living. Am I…_

_Dying…'_

Sasuke looks at the burning door and sees… more like thinks… a figure is standing behind it. He tries to crawl, slowly and trying to conserve as much air and energy as possible, to the door until it opens. A man with long dark hair stands there. Half his face is covered by the mane and his eyes are of pure red. The man kneels down and reaches out a hand… and Sasuke tries to reach for it.

"_**Do you want to live longer, my dear?"**_

'_As long as… I can… I want to. Please save me!'_

"_**Perfect answer."**_

…

'_But that was a mistake. I shouldn't have taken his hand by then.'_ Sasuke tries to get kind to take Sakura lightly and manage not to kill her… _'I don't like this girl… but getting turned into a head ghost like me is more than my flames' punishment. I'm not letting anyone else in again. This could be a sudden change of hearts but I have to do this… for Naruto. He doesn't want to lose her as much as I don't want to lose him. I know the pain he will suffer from if ever she completely turns into one of us… or die and be trapped there at Sai's realm.'_

"Is that ALL!" Dark Sakura yells and charges a bow with her dark aura. She fires it at Sasuke and he tries to deflect it. But it goes through the flame sword and hits Sasuke at the shoulder. He winces a bit and looks at Dark Sakura. She yells again with both anger and malice, "Don't take me lightly! Let me see why everyone is so damn afraid of you!"

"I didn't see you will get turned into a head ghost, Sakura." Sasuke says as he effortlessly pulls out the bow from his shoulder and drops it at the floor. He lets the flame sword vanish and floats in mid-air, "I was trying to wait for Naruto's arrival but I guess things will have to be not exactly as I planned. Now, I'll be killing you… and keeping you at Sai's Realm. You will only be freed when the time comes." The place begins to burn… as well as Sasuke. Just as how it did before Sasuke has somewhat cursed her. She grinds her teeth and she loads another arrow, "It won't be like before, Sasuke. I can kill you now."

She charges the arrow and she fires it Sasuke. The arrow burns yards before it reaches him which left Sakura dumbfounded, "How was that even possible?" The guy's bloodshot eyes come out and he smirks with a great deal of malice, "Now, I will show you… how it feels to be killed by ME!"

Sakura starts to burn again and Sakura cries in pain once more. Her dark aura seems to eaten by the flames and white smoke starts to evaporate from her. Her skin starts to burn as her fingers starts to have nice cinders. She yells and cries for mercy… help… Naruto. She hugs her body one more time and it seems Sasuke will not stop until she's dead. Her emerald eyes turns into waterfalls and her burning throat calls for a blond's name, "Naruto… help me… I'm so sorry…"

"Sasuke!" a familiar voice calls and Sasuke turns to him. He descends into the floor and says, "She's not yet dead. You still have a couple of seconds." The flames vanish in a second and Naruto widens his eyes seeing the poor Sakura… bloody and burned to the third degree. He cries and runs to her. He wants to hold her but she will be hurt if he ever did, "Sakura! Please answer me!"

"Na… ru… to…" She whispers and Naruto flings to Sasuke, "Sasuke! Can you do something? I don't want her to die! Please! Karin! Sai! Anyone!"

"Naruto… I want to be free…" Sakura whispers and Naruto looks at her, "I have… blamed you for everything. I'm sorry."

"Sakura…" Naruto cries and strong winds begin to blow from behind. The cinders embracing her starts to burn rapidly. She whispers as her dried eyes try to cry some more, "Naruto… forgive me. Let me make up for it… if ever we meet again…" Her body suddenly burned like paper and she manages to kick Naruto away before she turns into ashes… carried by the strong winds.

Sasuke squints a bit at the dark horizon and Naruto cries louder, "Sakura! No!" Karin goes to Naruto and says, "Let go back now. You have to rest."

"I couldn't save her… I failed to save her." Naruto cries some more and even Sai gets affected. He turns around and talks to Sasuke, "I know what will come next… are you going to blame me for this? I pushed Sakura to this place in the first place."

"She's the one who said yes to Madara. Not you." Sasuke walks out of sight and Karin decides to carry Naruto off with her blood hands and takes him back to the room.

000ooo000

Sasuke is sitting at his room and is gazing outside his window like usual. Since Karin is not there to visit him, he sits all alone. Then a presence walks in the room and he turns… to see Madara. The guy sits at the edge of the bed and runs his hand at Sasuke's hair, "Poor things, aren't you? Both of you failed to do what you have been trying to flaunt."

"Get out of this room." Sasuke refuses to even look at him again and continues to watch the stars. The guy then holds his chin and makes the raven fling to him, "Sasuke. If you really want to end this, why don't you just kill me?" Sasuke glares directly at the man and he continues, "But you can't. You don't want to. You are scared… that you won't be seeing that guy again."

"…"

Madara lets him go and stands up and looks at Sasuke as the boy turns away, "Sasuke."

"…"

"Looks like I have won again."

[End of Chapter Six]

**Deidara: **It's been a while since she last called me for this, un. Now, welcome to the end comments, un.

**Sasori**: Why are we always together? I'm starting to get tired of seeing you.

**Deidara:** Leave it, Master, un. Anyway, Rei Haruno doesn't really know what to say in this chapter, un. Oh, about Sakura, un? If she's dead, un? Hmmm…

**Sasori: **It depends in your perception. If you want to know if you're right, read the next one.

**Deidara: **The next chapter will be… full of unintended betrayal, un. Not really full but it would be the main theme, un.

**Sasori: **There, she came up with something to say. *takes the paper I gave* She knows that the fight is slightly resembling a RPG game… but is there any other way she can make two ghosts fight?

**Deidara:** So, the fight scenes will be always like that, un. There's a hint, un. Next chapter, there will be another fight… then the other upcoming chapter, un.

**Sasori: **The normal plan is ten chapters… but if there's some more to squeeze in, why not make it longer?

**Deidara: **She incredibly hates fillers, un…

**Sasori: **That's it for the end comments.

**Deidara: **Not as funny like before, un.

**Sasori and Deidara: **Because it's not funny to be a clown (un).

**Rei: **PS. Thank you for reading and supporting Dreamcatcher Nights. Please review somehow. ^_^


	7. Madness

_Madara lets him go and stands up and looks at Sasuke as the boy turns away, "Sasuke."_

"…"

"_Looks like I have won again."_

"…"

"You hated yourself for losing the people around you. Then not saving Hinata… Sai… Karin. And now, that girl Sakura." Madara walks out the room by passing through the door, "And soon enough, you won't be able to save that boy, Naruto."

"… then I have to do something about it…"

Sasuke lies down the bed and covers himself with the blanket. Blood starts to eat the white covers and the place earns the usual dust for an unused place. The lock starts to rattle and an intern nurse gets thrown inside. She gets dumped at the floor and malicious giggles are heard from outside. She gazes at the red bed with scared eyes and she breaks down in tears, "Oh please don't hurt me."

She then notices words getting written in blood at the mirror. She has her eyes big and she screams as the door opens by itself. The other nurses outside hears her screaming and so they take a peek inside. They scream and the three nurses run away from the room… leaving it open.

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno**

**Chapter 7: Madness**

'_No… not you two, too!'_

They have heard the news and everyone has become disheartened. Sakura dies in front of everyone and their hearts are still trying to look for someone to blame. That is human nature to begin with. And of course Naruto would be blaming herself and everyone else starts to forget about blaming somebody… and try to comfort Naruto instead. A rainy morning has come and the sky seems to cry for them. Ino decides not to see Naruto again and so she stays with Sakura's side there at the hospital. Even her body is there, her soul has been lost.

"Is there any way to bring back Sakura?" Kiba says to no one in particular, maybe to the three ghosts within the room. They wish they know an answer… but they don't have an idea. No one dies in the MedCenter… but Sai has looked at his Realm yet no Sakura is found. Karin has checked around for any lost spirit but she found nothing. Hinata tries to look around as well but she has found no luck. Naruto's parents are there and they won't be leaving today. They have got a leave and they can stay for the next three days. Kiba and Ino decide to stay and miss class… they are not in the mood to attend anyway.

Most importantly, Naruto needs somebody. He greatly needs it to stop himself from blaming himself. Whatever happened to Sakura is out of hand they say. But the blond couldn't stop himself from seeing things in a negative perspective. He requests everyone else, "Can you leave for now? I wanted to be alone for now."

"But Naruto—" Kushina tries to lighten the load a bit but Minato holds her shoulder, "Kushina, let's leave him for now. He needs time to think. After then, I expect to meet a resolved Naruto with a strong heart." They leave and Kushina whispers, "Naruto, things will be better. Believe it and it will."

Naruto closes his eyes, _'I wish things will be better… even if it's the last thing I will see.'_

000ooo000

Hinata is alone at a room where the patient has been covered by the sheets. She sits at its side and she gazes down at the patient. Her lips move… mumbling about something. She then lies beside it and she curls up, "Tell me… is there any chance that I can be—?"

She realizes that how much she says, the patient concealed beneath the sheets will never respond. A tear falls from her eyes and she murmurs with a broken voice, "If ever I become alive again just like Karin… I will feel the same pain all over again."

"_**Do you want that to happen?"**_

"Lord Madara." Hinata sits up and gazes at the man who appeared right beside her. She starts to have some sniffles and the man bends down to whisper directly at Hinata's ear, _**"Hinata, you have tamed down over the years. Have you forgotten who put you in this place? Who is responsible for your own death? No, it's not you…"**_

"No! STOP IT!" Hinata shoots her hands to cover her ears. She shuts her eyes like they are never to open again. But Madara's voice manages to seep through her delicate fingers…

"_**It's your father."**_

…

"—nata!" She gasps and she opens her eyes. A hand then shoots to grip her chin. The owner painfully lifts Hinata's face to make her gaze at his mad face. The poor girl barely has the voice to say something… and the courage to do so. Her father's eyes are eating her alive, ripping her flesh like a hungry dog. Oh, how she wished to dismiss this dream. But no matter internal babble she does, the face haunts her. She says within her, _'Why must I dream of you? Of all faces to see, of all eyes to gaze at.'_

The man gives a tighter squeeze and his fingers dig deeper her soft cheeks… but Hinata couldn't react much… fear has eaten her inside. The man throws Hinata to the floor and she snaps out of her gaze with it. Her back hits the hard and cold floor and her lips let out a wince. She starts to sob and she gazes at her father. The man is glaring so hard…

"Father… what…" Hinata sobs at her breaks, "What did I… do to make you… so angry?"

"You are not doing anything…" he picks up Hinata by her collar and raises her a bit closer to him, "And that's what made me… so ANGRY!" He slams her back at the floor once, twice, thrice… until she cries some more. The plea of getting released echoes around but the man wouldn't even let her go. Or maybe when the collar gets torn away from her shirt…

Hinata hits the floor one more time… her body hurts like hell that she can barely move. Her father sits over her and runs his hand at her neck to her collarbone. Her father has just lost his mind…

He touches the exposed part of Hinata's chest and the poor girl watches in horror. His index finger hooks the tatters and slowly pulls the shirt off… like wanting to strip his daughter naked. Hinata murmurs with utmost fear and horror, "Father… what are you… going to do?"

"…" her father remains silent… until he begins to smirk and grabs her shirt to forcefully rip it off. The girl screams as she shoots her arms to cover herself but her father is too strong for her. She screams so painfully, pleading for mercy. She struggles… resulting to kicking her father at the side. He glares at the struggling girl… and grabs a leg.

**He breaks it. **Yes, he breaks his very own daughter's leg.

She cries in pain and then he completely gets the shirt off… only to stuff it at her mouth. She tries to take it off but her father grabs her shoulders… just to dislocate them. She almost cries blood… in everything she is experiencing. It's like reliving a nightmare… exactly how it is.

She cannot do anything for herself. She cannot help herself. She cannot defend herself.

She can only help him in her once, twice, thrice… until he's awake… awake from the insanity he got himself into. But when is this going to happen?

"_**But to be honest… you didn't mind. You didn't bear a grudge against your father. You submitted to him like a very obedient bitch. And it's because… of your loving cousin."**_

"Hinata?" A younger man gasps… seeing his ten-year-old cousin he hasn't seen for six months… with a big lump at her belly. She is sitting at a chair while leaning at the wall at the corridor. Her eyes staring off to a distance and her lips are open like waiting for something to kiss her awake. Tears are flooding from her eyes, staining her beautiful face. He gets near and sits beside her… then embraces her, "Hinata, what happened here?"

"Father…" she murmurs and he grinds his teeth in madness, "How dare he."

"Neji." The father walks towards them and Neji stands up to face him. He glares at the man and demands with a very mad voice, "Tell me… WHY! Why did you do this to Hinata! Have you gone insane!"

"Just who do you think you are— to yell at me!" the man reaches out to grab the Neji's collar. But Neji flicks it off before it reaches him and he grabs Hinata… dragging him away from the mad man.

And the mad man is a mad man. He wouldn't want him to take _**'his'**_ Hinata away. He looks around and sees the wood-axe lying around. Neji murmurs something to Hinata… but she's too dazed to take it in. And then suddenly…

Chug!

The axe strikes through Neji's back and the man vomits blood upon the impact. Hinata grows her eyes wide and flings to her father. The older man smirks and he says, "No one… takes Hinata away from me." The poor girl then gazes at her cousin's blood-bathing body. She heard him whisper, "Run…"

She screams and goes for the staircase. Her father runs after her and she tries to escape his grasp. She struggles… vigorously, not caring if her clothes will get damaged as well. She tries everything to get away from the father with a reverse Elektra complex. She manages to fight her way out his arms… those brutal stranglers. But she falls down the stairs… that steep flight of stairs. She lands at the floor with a loud thud and her father has only watched in horror.

She seems to be lifeless on the floor… blood starts to flood around and beneath her. She stares at the front door… which is very far from her reach. _'Somebody… save me…'_ The door opens and it is police officer. He calls, "Hello? We heard a scream—" His eyes landed at the bloody Hinata at the staircase and he equips his gun, "Freeze! KPD!"

Her father escapes through the backdoor and the back-up might have chased him down. Ambulance is called and the forensics is summoned. Hinata survives and is then taken to the UM MedCenter. She has overdosed herself with IV drips and sedatives… but none has saved her from that nightmare.

…

"_**It was only I… who saved you, Hinata." **_The man holds Hinata's chin and pushes her to the bed. She rises herself from the bed a bit… eyes paralyzed by her utmost fears comparable to what she has showed her father. The man grasps at her frail neck and she chokes while struggling to be freed. Madara continues to talk, _**"What did you tell me… the day that nurse almost killed you! What did you tell me… that you wanted the most?"**_

"_Vengeance." Hinata who is struggling at the bed whispers, "I want… to kill him… for killing my cousin!"_

"_**Is that so?"**__ Madara smirks and strokes at her long hair, __**"But I don't know where your father is."**__ He gives a big sinister smirk, __**"However, I can tell you… who does."**_

"…Then tell me who…" Hinata murmurs and Madara smiles. Dark aura oozes from Hinata and she stands up from the bed. She begins to float and she turns into a typical ghost… but with tubes dangling from her arms. The yellowish liquid of IV flows from it and she then crashes to the floor. She shoots her hands to cover her face and starts to cry. She lifts her tear-covered face to see Madara, "W-Where is my f-father?"

"_**The blond boy… and everyone near him. They know where he is… they really do."**_ Hinata screams an agonizing one and softens into a liquid. The yellow substance disappears upon seeping through the walls.

"_**Aren't you scared, Madara?"**_ Madara gazes over his shoulder to see the shadowed figure behind him. The figure leans at the wall and Madara says, _**"I want you out of this… Dark Naruto."**_ Dark Naruto shrugs his shoulder and turns around, _**"I see. But… don't you think you're missing something? Everything might be going according to your plan but there are things that may get you in a panic mode. Just like Karin's awakening from your spell."**_

"_**What do you know? You're nothing but—"**_

"_**I'm just warning the holder of the curse. Nothing more."**_ He disappears and then Madara smiles a bit, _**"Let's see what threat is it that you see."**_

000ooo000

Naruto is all alone at his room… still thinking about the lost Sakura Haruno he loves. He can't get it out his mind. He is one of the— no, he is the sole reason why Sakura died, one way or another. He closes his eyes in guilt and mumbles to himself with restrained sobs, "I let her die… I…"

"Naruto." He twitches at the voice and he looks around. The blanket starts to bulge again and he gazes at the crawling lump under the blanket. Since the covers are only pulled to his waist, it unveils the ghost underneath shortly. Sasuke, in his normal patient state (the first form Naruto saw him with and the one in the hospital in the past), crawls out the blanket and decides to sit at Naruto's lap, "You shouldn't blame yourself. She sold herself to Madara."

"She wouldn't do that if it isn't because of you!" Naruto yells at him upon pulling on his collar, "But! You wouldn't even hurt her… if I… was not… in love with her." He starts to sob and sniffles. Sasuke scowls at the boy and asks, "Do you really love her? Or you just think you're in love with her?" Naruto gasps and looks straight at those onyx orbs.

Does he or does he not? Why can't he shoot out a direct yes to the raven ghost?

"Are you always by her side?" Yet he watches her from afar.

"Do you protect her from any harm?" Some other guys would come to scare away offenders.

"Are you willing to give away everything for her?" …

Naruto clutches his other fist and he looks away from the raven ghost. He whispers, "That's right. I never had the chance to show her that I love her. And it's too late now…" He lets go of the raven's collar and starts crying. Sasuke crawls on fours to get nearer and kisses Naruto's forehead. Then he places his chin at Naruto's shoulder, "Believe me… it's not too late."

"What do you know?"

Sasuke pulls back and kisses Naruto's lips… earning a surprised jerk from the blond. The raven closes his eyes and holds one of the blond's shoulders to push his lips deeper against the blond's. His tongue starts to beg for entrance inside Naruto's mouth. Naruto squints in guilt and pushes the ghost off, "Stop it, Sasuke."

"…" The raven ghost just stares at him… with the slightest glare he can give. Then Naruto asks him, "Why?" The onyx eyes blinks innocently… making those blue orbs close in avoidance of the gaze. But they open again, "The first day I was admitted here, a nurse told me that everyone that sees you dies. But… why are you… keeping me alive?"

"…" The raven ghost looks away and the blond knows he is hiding something. The blond is about to say something but the raven ghost answers, "Because I don't… want to lose you… again." Naruto twitches and Sasuke places his chin at the blond's shoulder one more time and closes his eyes. Naruto stares off at a distance… thinking about what Sasuke has said. The raven ghost then whispers, "It's quite nice to hold you so close… I haven't had the chance to do this before."

"But… I don't know what you're talking about." Naruto pushes Sasuke away again gently. The raven loses any emotion in his face and bows down to hide the developing glare. The blond calls for him again, "Sasuke?" the raven jerks a bit and is about to crawl back beneath the covers. But he stops and looks around, "This is not good."

"What?" Naruto looks around in alertness as well and Sasuke gives Naruto a protective hug. A cold breeze comes to the room and some yellowish fluids flood the floor. Naruto remembers about the first time Sakura saw Hinata… then it must be her. Naruto looks at Sasuke… seeing his onyx orbs turn bloodshot. He murmurs, "It's just Hinata…"

"It's not her." Sasuke says and a flame ring circles the bed, "It's Dark Hinata." Naruto tries to get out from Sasuke's embrace but then an agonizing cry stops him, "FAAAAATHEEEEERRRR!" Naruto recognizes the owner of the voice and Hinata suddenly appears from the blob created by the yellow fluid. She lifts her face and asks… "Where is my father?"

"Huh?" Naruto wonders and Sasuke says, "Madara lied to you. We don't know where your father is." Hinata gives another agonizing cry… more painful than the first, "NO WAY! Lord Madara never lies! Tell me where he is!" She begins to float and the tubes starts to move on its own like snakes hissing and trying to bite the two guys. Sasuke heightens the flame ring and Hinata cries again, "Let me in!"

She tries to get in… gladly risking her life to the fact that those flames can actually kill a ghost. Sasuke scowls and sways his hand like commanding the flames to swat her away. It does what is told and Hinata gets thrown to the wall. But a water barrier hits the wall on her behalf. She shoots her hands to grasp at her own hair and she yells like being burned alive, "Tell me now!"

The tubes pierce through the flame ring and hits Sasuke's arm… instead of Naruto's face. The blond gets stunned… why would his friend hurt him? It's just the time when what Sasuke has warned Naruto sinks in. It is Dark Hinata and she's not seeing the two as her friends. Something is blinding her and they have to release her quick… before Sasuke decides to end her life. Naruto yells, "Hinata! Wake up!"

"Father!" Hinata rocks her head violently while pulling on her own hair and crying out loud, "Where is he!" The tubes pull on Sasuke's arm but those synthetic things burn at Sasuke's scowl. The tubes attacks again and Sasuke doubles the flame ring surrounding them. But Naruto starts to feel suffocated as he calls, "Sasuke, I can't breathe."

"I will help you." The raven ghost answers and Hinata tries to dash towards them again. But the raven ghost has his flames catch Hinata and keeps her inside. She screams in so much pain again and Naruto grabs Sasuke's shoulder, "Don't… kill her… please." Sasuke gives a final squash and Hinata falls unconsciously at the floor as the flames disappear.

"Hinata!"

Then the doors open and the rest of the group come in. They see Hinata at the floor and Sasuke embracing Naruto at the bed. Kushina whispers, "What… are you doing to my son?" Minato yells at the raven ghost, "Get away from him!" Kiba and Ino watch things in horror. But then Karin walks towards the two, "Naruto. Sasuke. Are you alright?"

"Yes." Sasuke answers and gazes at the unmoving Hinata, "He's starting to get desperate… in getting rid of Naruto." Karin twitches and looks at Hinata, "Poor Hinata." Then she remembers something and yells to no one in particular, "Sai!" Sasuke moves away from Naruto and pulls on Karin's sleeve the very instant she's about to go, "It's too late. Let's just wait for him to come."

"We can't!" Karin turns around and Sasuke lets go of her sleeve. She continues, "If we do, every ghost will be set free! Sasuke, we don't that much time to spend. We should—"

"Can you find him?" Sasuke asks and Karin twitches. Right, she won't be able to locate Sai without her ghost form… which only comes during night time. It's too far from night time, unfortunately. Karin sits at the edge of the bed and says, "This is all my fault. This wouldn't happen if I didn't wake up. I told Sakura about the archives. I failed to kill her before Sasuke could have done it. I gave her to Lord Madara."

"Karin."

"She's the one who said yes to Madara. She is the one who made me angry. Sai's the one who led her there. I am the one who killed her. I made Madara mad." Sasuke crawls back underneath the covers until he vanishes, "It's not all yours. But for now, we should think of a way to stop Madara's nonsense…"

Silence eats the place and when Kiba is about to say something to break the deafening situation… the place gets engulfed in darkness. Naruto calls for his parents and they respond, fortunately. Lights start to seep and Naruto knows where they have been taken to. He whispers, "Sai's Realm!"

"It can't be!" Karin yells and the humans start to stick together. Hinata starts to sit up again and cries quietly for now. Then Sai appears from nowhere and says, "I'm so sorry, Karin. But I have to keep all of you here till eternity. Death does not exist in this MedCenter." Karin gets into a defensive stance but her waist starts to hurt again. She then collapses at the floor, gravely wincing in pain, "Dammit! What's… what's going on?"

"_**Sasuke should have known better than leaving you alone." **_A man walks in the scene and he runs his hand at his long fringe covering half of his face. it is Madara… as called by Karin, "Lord… Madara…" Naruto scowls at him and seems to somehow recognize the guy…

_Naruto opens a door and peeps inside the room. There is someone who has his face shoved at the piles of documents at the table, probably unaware that he is already asleep himself. The blond smiles a bit and walks up to him, "Director *unclear name*, it's already three, would you like some coffee?"_

Naruto snaps out of the sudden scene that played before him alone. Madara smirks and the hordes of other ghosts circle them. They can even recognize Naruto's former nurse among them. The man orders the hordes, _**"Tear them apart! Rip their flesh from the bones! Since they will not die… do it as slow as you can… then do it again and again!"**_ Madara raises his arms and the hordes starts to attack. Minato carries Karin and they start running away from the ghosts. But Hinata and Sai follow them. The tubes try to get them as the girl repeatedly asks for her father. Sai… however, just tags along to lead the hordes towards the crowd.

"Naruto! What are we going to do!" Kiba yells at the blond since the hordes are making too much noise, "We can't just run forever!" The blond shakes his head and tries to think of a way to get away from them. Then they see a girl, with her head bowed, standing before them. She sways her hand slowly to the side. She then slowly dissolves into ashes… blinding the hordes. Then a light shines ahead… with Sasuke's voice calling, "Naruto, here!"

They run faster and they pass the girl by. Naruto runs beside the disintegrating girl. Everything seems to get in slow-mo as Naruto turns to see her face. Her burnt locks are seriously unrecognizable but deep inside he can tell… he knows that girl. However, they reach the light… and they're back at the room.

Naruto looks around… finding Sasuke concealing under the covers. He inspects the room… which appears to be his. He gazes at Sasuke, "Who is that girl?" Everyone looks at the big lump at the bed and Sasuke peeps out, raising a portion of the sheets, "A gift."

They twitch and an unfamiliar aura envelopes the place. Naruto turns to the door and ashes starts to flood the doorway. The particles form into a girl… well, the girl standing in front of them again. But contrary to the silent type she made them thought she is, she squeezes aloud and covers her face for doing so. She regains composure and ruins her hair to rid it from all the dusts covering it… revealing those pink locks. She lifts her face and smiles bashfully at them, "Hi, Naruto."

"S… Sakura-chan?"

[End of Chapter Seven]

**Sasuke: ***sighs and reads directly from the paper* Revelations… I know it really took me a while to update. Everything seems to grab my time and attention. And yeah, I grew so kind to Naruto and Sasuke… so I won't be making them do a scene. It wouldn't fit anyway. *confetti falls over the relieved one*

And yes, I got so lazy thinking of an awesome fight scene and since it's not really my forte… so not much of a fight scene between Hinata and Sasuke. And yes, Dark Naruto plays a big role! Hahah! Next chapter will be about him… and of course, Naruto. I will be doing a second part of Hinata vs Sasuke, I guess.

*own words now* So much for scaring me. Yes, Sakura's back. And that's it. Read for the next chapter.

She thanks you for reading such crap.

*a placard pops out beside Sasuke and it reads, **'Sasuke's a meanie! One big meanie! And you're forgetting something!' ***

Tch. Fine. *reads again* this is quite a promotional section. Please check out **Innocent Love** by **smilestitches**. It's a GaaSaku fic and I am **betareading** it. For now, it's just the first chapter I have edited. The edition of the second chapter comes today or tomorrow.

*own words* Tch. Leave me alone already…


	8. The Yin and the Yang

_The particles form into a girl… well, the girl standing in front of them again. But contrary to the silent type she made them thought she is, she squeezes aloud and covers her face for doing so. She regains composure and ruins her hair to rid it from all the dusts covering it… revealing those pink locks. She lifts her face and smiles bashfully at them, "Hi, Naruto."_

"_S… Sakura-chan?"_

Ino runs to her and hugs her so tight that even a bear couldn't do so, "Sakura!" She cries abruptly and the pink-haired girl smiles at her, "Ino, I'm so sorry." Kiba sighs in relief and Naruto can't believe his eyes. Sasuke kneels at the bed and reaches for Naruto's shoulders. He wraps his arms around Naruto's neck and speaks, "From the time that she said yes to Madara, she turned herself into a ghost."

"But… even ghosts are killed by your flames… right?" Naruto tries to find another good reason. Sasuke responds again… now with everyone's attention on him, "Yes, my flames can kill a ghost. But in Sakura's case, I only get to kill Dark Sakura… excluding the other half of the psyche. And because of the curse of the MedCenter, she has to remain here until the curse ends. That's the only time… every ghost will disappear." Sadness and stoicism trails with his voice…

Everyone knows nobody would like to disappear.

"That means…" Karin cuts in, "It doesn't really matter if the lost patient would have awaken?" Sakura twitches and Naruto looks at the now pained redhead. Sasuke lets go of Naruto and creeps inside the covers to disappear, "It does." She calls for Sasuke again but the raven is not to be heard once more. Naruto scowls at the matter and Karin hugs herself, "What's the reward in this? Only pain and all."

"Miss Karin." Kushina says and Minato sighs… since mysteries keep on arising but not even one is solved. Silence eats the place again and then Karin remembers one thing, "Naruto… we forgot to ask about the separation of your soul." Naruto twitches and Sakura wonders, "Separation?"

"The existence of Dark Naruto and Naruto at two distinct bodies."

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno**

**Chapter 8: The Yin and the Yang**

"Izuna!" Karin and Naruto say as they fling their heads to the door again. Izuna smiles at them, "Greetings, mortals and head ghosts. I see, Sasuke was able to pull out Miss Sakura from Sai's Realm. So how it feels to be a ghost, Miss Sakura?"

"Quite… normal." Sakura answers… not sure of what she really feels. Izuna looks at Naruto and he says, "How about you, Naruto? Have you decided what to do with Hinata? Brother has a strong hold on her." Naruto looks away and thinks about Hinata…

"_If this realm were to vanish… so will we. I do not wish to vanish like this, Naruto… and so does the spirits. But if you wish to help most of the trapped ones, I will be willing to…"_

"I manage to wake Karin up." Naruto bows his head down and then lifts it up, "I will wake Hinata… no matter what it takes!" Izuna smiles and looks at Naruto's parents, "You're not supposed to be in here, the four of you. And it'll be very dangerous for you to stay. You can still step out of this hospital… but mind you, if you decided to stay here after dark…"

"There's no way, we're leaving!" Ino yells and Kiba agrees with an assuring nod. Kushina and Minato twitch and Kushina speaks, "We won't as well."

"Mom, Dad. You have to go…" Naruto says and his parents grow surprised. Naruto knows what danger could be emerging from the whole _battle of good and evil_ ghosts… and the idea of them being almost trapped inside Sai's Realm forever has opened his eyes. But who would leave their child behind? Kushina pulls Naruto towards them and they begin whispering to each other, arguing about it. Karin looks at Izuna and he returns the gaze with a questioning look.

"What are you doing in here?" Karin faces Izuna and she shifts her tone into a aggressive-for-an-answer one, "Aren't you supposed to be with Lord Madara? Are you spying on us?" Izuna smiles and shakes his head, "I do not… wish to spy on any side. He may be my brother but I do not like what' he's doing to the other ghosts and patients. I only intend to wait until this curse is broken… but witnessing Naruto's _return_, I see things to be more interesting. So I decided to roam around myself. I never thought he will _come back_."

"Come back?" Most of them wonders and Naruto, finished arguing with his parents, turns to him, "What do you mean come back? I've never been here before." Izuna smiles and decides to disappear after giving lots of hints, "I'm so sorry. But the reason for being separated is not a secret. Meet with Dark Naruto at the Ghost Realm… he will tell you after _that_."

"He always disappears just like that." Naruto murmurs, now in a dark mood. Yes, they haven't found out the reason behind it after all. But they need to look for Hinata and Sai first. Sakura looks around and asks Naruto, "So… your parents leaving?" Kushina drops her head and nods a small one. Minato puts a comforting hand at Kushina's shoulders, "It might be hard but we need to trust Naruto this one. I myself am curious with what that Izuna mean by _coming back_… but with that being said, Naruto wouldn't stop until this is done. Everyone, please take care… and let's go home altogether… if possible."

"We will." Kiba gives a rest-assured smile and salute. Ino then smiles and chirps around, "I guess we have to learn fending off the bad ghosts. Any idea how to do it?" Sakura smiles at them, now proud of her newly obtained power, "I can protect everyone so no worries."

"For now." Karin snaps… wearing her usual sharp look, "For now, Sakura. We're still lucky about it. Lord Madara has a hold on every head ghost and he's even kind NOT to awaken Dark Hinata AND Dark Sasuke at the same time. Sooner or later, he will… and we have to get ready. At my current _human_ state, Dark Karin has been put to a deep sleep… never to be awakened again."

"And we don't know if that Dark Naruto is on our side." Kushina whimpers and Minato tries to comfort her. Naruto smiles, "He has help us a number of times. I'm sure he's our friend."

"Or maybe he's planning something." Karin answers, "Don't you watch TV, Naruto? Character types like that are predictable." Naruto continues to wear his smile, "At least, I can still make him come to our side. When can we access Ghost Realm again, Karin?"

"There will be an eclipse later during sunset. Like full moons, the Ghost Realm will merge with the Human Realm… and what's worse, the ghosts in Sai's Realm with all go free. With Lord Madara around, he can make the effects of the phenomenon longer than it should be." Karin looks away, feeling like betraying her Lord. But since Sasuke's working with them, she has no choice but to help them as well.

"Then we have to get all set before sunset."

"Take care. Don't die please…"

000ooo000

"_Because you're a human before… and I know how it hurts to lose a loved one… more likely when you have something to tell him…"_

Naruto sits at his bed… thinking about how he got to turn Karin back into a human. Karin has been overprotective over Sasuke… and the fact that he has lost someone before is true. He closes his eyes and whispers, "Why is Hinata looking for her father? Did he do something to her? Did she miss something with him? I saw her at that hospital long ago… with three IVs. What happened to her?"

He then gazes at the door… where Hinata used to appear… comforting him whenever he needs to be. He misses Hinata… and that what makes him desperate to save her. Deep inside, it pains him to see those ghosts. It's like he has failed to save them… once. And that coming back Izuna said never leaves his mind. What really is going on?

000ooo000

Lying at his own bed, Sasuke pants heavily. He has pulled out Sakura out from Sai's Realm in expense of most of his energy. He closes his eyes and whispers, "There will be an eclipse later. Are you sure you'll still do nothing but Madara's orders?"

"I have no choice, Sasuke. Even I would love to help you… I value my control over my soul. You know what Dark Sai can do, now don't you?" Sai appears at the edge of the bed and Sasuke opens his eyes to look at him, "I can't let Madara wake Dark Sai." He sits up and Sai smiles, "Lord Madara is not planning anything. He already knows how things are going to play."

"The only thing he didn't anticipate is Naruto."

"Yes…" Sai then twitches and stands up. Sasuke looks at the door as it opens… Dark Hinata slams to the floor, crying again, "Sasuke… tell me where Father is?" She raises her head up and eventually gets angry as Sasuke responds not. She sits up and does her psycho whining, "Where is my father!" The tubes start to whip again and Sasuke needs to run away from her for now. He vanishes and Sai looks at her. She cries, "Iiiizuuuuunaaaaa! Tiiiiiime raaaaaace!"

000ooo000

Sakura, Ino, Karin and Kiba are staying at Sakura's room. Her body is now covered with heavy blankets and the place is like treated as a Lost Patient Zone. Kiba does a time check and looks at the clock with amazement, "It's already five? No passed five." Sakura whimpers at how speedy the time is and Ino gets scared, "It's almost sunset."

"And they are not that patient lately." Karin stands up and looks at Sakura, "Let's go back to Naruto's room. Izuna has the power to speed up time. They're going to use the eclipse to wipe these people up now. Turning each and every one of them into ghosts." The pinky nods and they walk to Naruto's room… to find it locked. Karin twitches and looks around… the hallways are getting darker and every patient is rushed inside their rooms. Naruto's nurse goes to them and says, "Quick now, back to your rooms!"

"She can see you?" Kiba asks Sakura and she shrugs her shoulders, "I guess."

"Why is this room locked?" Karin demands to get it open but the nurse doesn't give a damn about it, "Who knows? Just get back to your—" The lights go dim and bloody hands reach from the walls. They reach for and grab Karin like pulling her in. Sakura feels incredibly warmer and her skin starts to produce ashes that eventually revolve around her. Karin speaks as she fuses with the wall and gets to her ghost form, "It's starting, Sakura. Get ready, they'll be here anytime."

The pinky nods in agreement and the nurse backs off to the wall and flattens herself as she witnesses these before her eyes. Rumors are no rumors. There are ghosts in the medcenter and phenomenal supernatural incidences happen during full moons and eclipses. She gasps and babbles, "W-What are you?" They are about to answer but then chains starts wrapping around her… the attached barb wires piercing her in multiple areas. She tries to get them off but they only grow deeper. Sakura tries to save her but Karin stops her from doing so. The nurse dies and a black void claims her body from beneath. A figure from the shadows walks towards them… and Karin says, "Dark Naruto."

"Greetings." Dark Naruto smiles and the other three gets amazed by D. Naruto's appearance, burnt and wounded badly. Ino almost pukes at the appearance and Kiba has chills sent to his spine. Sakura pities the ghost and asks, "What are you doing here?"

"Leading the way." He smirks and vanishes in an instant. Karin frowns in madness and then screams start to envelope the place. Sakura instructs everyone, "Ino, come with me. Kiba, you go with Karin. Let's save the other patients from this madness!" They nod and Kiba asks, "What about Naruto?"

"He has Sasuke to protect him." Sakura answers and runs away with Ino following her, both taking the east wing, "Karin, take the west wing!" She then turns into ashes, spreading in an incredible speed. Karin huffs and looks at Kiba, "Make yourself useful, mortal." She swims at the walls and Kiba whispers as he follows her, "Look who's talking."

000ooo000

Naruto hears the commotion outside and gazes at the sky. He can see the eclipse ne plus ultra from his window. He gasps at how much time has passed and he tries to move. He perfectly can… since the two realms have merged. He is about to leave the room when D. Naruto speaks behind him, "Will you be looking for me?"

"Dark Naruto." Naruto says and turns to him. D. Naruto smirks and says, "I heard what Izuna has said. You will be asking about that coming back, right?" Nine long chains wrapped with barb wires shoots out directly from the end of D. Naruto's spine. He smirks maliciously, "I've grown kind and helpful so that you will not consider me a threat, Naruto. However, can you expect honesty from the darkness? I'll you everything about it… as I devour you!"

His 'tails' start attacking Naruto and there's nothing he can but to dodge it. He tries to but every attack connects with his skin. Naruto gasps in fear and stares at the Dark one with fear. D. Naruto walks up to the weak one as the latter slides backwards until he reaches a wall. D. Naruto makes one tail wrap around Naruto and lift him upwards, Naruto's squirming makes it more painful, "Seventy years ago you got away from me… and sorry to inform you, you cannot do that anymore. Dark Hinata might be hunting down Sasuke as your other friends get busy in saving patients. Now, no one's out to help you. Poor…" He squeezes Naruto and the blond screams in pain. D. Naruto puts a hand on the chin, "Now where should I start?"

000ooo000

D. Hinata crawls at the hallways and cries, "Father… Where is my father?" She makes some nurses look at her… because she's leaving a trail of yellowish liquid along the way. Then one nurse gets near her and says, "Uhm, Miss. You have to go back to your room. Your father might be back tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" She sits up… fear evident in her voice. She pulls on her hair again and starts banging her head against the floor, "Tomorrow!" The nurse screams in fear and stumbles down near her. D. Hinata stops and glares at the nurse and then the hanging tubes shoot to get the nurse, "You told him I'm here!" Inches away and then small balls of fire appear to burn the tip of the tubes. D. Hinata screams and hops backwards. She then sits at the floor and looks at the guy at the hallway adjacent with the other nurses are. The poor nurse looks at the boy and the temperature starts to rise geometrically. Sasuke crawls at the floor and flames are like painting the hallway behind him.

"Who told him I'm here? Did you!" D. Hinata screams around and starts pulling her hair more and Sasuke sits up as well. He doesn't respond but balls of flame shoot out towards D. Hinata. She screams some more and the yellow liquid forms into a wall to deflect the flame shots and rage towards him like a dragon. The nurses back off and the poor nurse gets paralyzed by the happening.

Yellowish liquid that moves on its own and flames that come out from nowhere. A psychotic girl who has lots of tubes connected to her body and a boy who continues to burn. The nurses can't believe their eyes with what they're seeing. Is this what their superiors have told them?

D. Hinata continues to do some agonizing screams and Sasuke keeps on being silent. The tubes are extending so much just to reach Sasuke but the flame ring deflects every tip as the yellow dragon extinguishes every flame shot. Then objects start to move around. The metal bench sets ablaze and gets thrown to D. Hinata. The dragon extinguishes the fire but the pieces of metal goes through it… one of it hitting D. Hinata's leg. She screams some more and the dragon vanishes. The tubes wriggle like being in pain themselves.

A wave of flame goes to D. Hinata and she gets thrown some more. Sasuke stands up and starts to float. He passes by the nurses and hasn't cared to see them faint in disbelief. D. Hinata is thrown to a vending machine and she slides off the machine. She cries again, "Brother Neji… Brother Neji… he's coming! He's coming!" She then shoots her head up and screams a mad one. The tubes try to get near Sasuke again but they just burn up like earlier attempts. Sasuke converts back to his _human_ image and says, "Hinata, it's been a while since you last called for that name."

"I've been always calling him!" She cries in further agony… and she slams her chest at the floor, "He's coming back… he's coming back!" Sasuke walks to her and asks, "If you knew he's coming back, then why did you decide to stay here?" She twitches and bends up a little bit… trying to look at Sasuke's face. He continues, "You were waiting for someone else. You said so, remember?"

000ooo000

"That is why you felt different seeing Hinata and Sasuke!" D. Naruto slams Naruto from ceiling to floor, wall to wall, and any other combination of such. Naruto groans as he hits the last surface…

He is now bloody and blood is dripping anywhere. D. Naruto smirks and lifts him up, "Familiar feeling, isn't it? Wounded by these barb wires; locked by these chains; burnt by those blasted flames!" He throws Naruto to the wall and the blond groans some more. D. Naruto continues to run amuck, "It was your own fault! You were weak… you got us killed! And I… I took Madara's hand after you fainted at that fire!" A tail whips Naruto's chest multiple times… hitting Naruto whenever a word comes out D. Naruto's mouth, "Instead of running away, you chose to check if Sasuke's out the building! Of course, you know Hinata's safe… she's downstairs!"

"Why… are you so angry?" Naruto whispers and D. Naruto smirks, "It's because you are stupid… and after seventy years, this is the only time I get to see you again. We got separated when I took his hand… and I never thought you will never be back. But of course, the medcenter will be calling for you. Even Hinata tries to get outside this in expense of her energy… just to call you. Everyone is watching you as you walk by every passing night. Everyone wants you back! Sasuke, Hinata and me especially. But too bad, huh, they're fighting right now." A tail gives a final slap and Naruto groans the hardest.

He lands at the floor, all bloody and barely moving. He raises his head up and watches D. Naruto approaches him, "Come on, dear intern, stand up. Either of your beloved patients is going to die… now which one? Oh, that's out of the question." He smirks and uses his hand to lift Naruto up again by pulling him by the collar, "Madara probably needs Sasuke… so I guess Hinata dies. Too bad, you promised her to die with a smile. Now, she's going to vanish with just the fear of her father! You never succeed, Naruto. You never did."

"How about you? Did you?"

000ooo000

"Waiting?" D. Hinata wonders and thinks about everything else there is. She never remembers anything like that. She has never waited for someone else rather than… "Mister." She stands up and the tubes go back to their normal lengths. She has always waited for Mister's arrival. She looks at Sasuke and then around the place.

"_I'm scared. Father might be back again." Young Hinata reaches for one of her nurses' sleeves. The female nurse smiles and says, "He won't be back." Then the male nurse laughs and brags, "Hinata, don't worry! If he comes back, I'm always here to kick his ass! How would you like that!"_

"_Maybe you're the one who would have his ass kicked." She rolls her eyes and he huffs. Hinata stops worrying even for a while and finds time to smile, "You're funny, Mister." He scratches the back of his head and chuckles._

"NOOOO!" D. Hinata cries and curses Sasuke, "Stop deceiving me!" She then floats herself and the yellow water dragon is back. Sasuke jumps backwards to avoid the stinging tubes. She goes on with her psycho banging, "I will kill you!" Sasuke curses under his breath and keeps up with the fight. But he's getting tired and weak… and D. Hinata is overly agitated. He has to end this quick…

"I'm sorry, Naruto. Again…" Sasuke calls his bloodshot eyes and flame rings circle around D. Hinata. She looks around with hysteria and screams in pain and fear, "What are you doing! No! Are you? Are you my father now!" The flame rings starts to devour D. Hinata's soul bit by and Sasuke can only watch. He does this once to D. Sakura… but he doesn't have the current energy to even get Hinata out of Sai's Realm now. If this continues…

Hinata will vanish forever.

000ooo000

Naruto smiles innocently and sincerely. D. Naruto twitches and starts thinking about something to brag about. The people who killed him died in the fire not in his hands. Sasuke continues to rule the Ghost Realm no matter how hard he tries to steal the title. He is nothing but Madara's pawn… Naruto's other half. Naruto holds D. Naruto's hand and cheers despite the dying condition, "I haven't really succeeded in something, too. Maybe it's because we never did work together before. Let's end this curse… let's accomplish something."

He reaches out a hand and D. Naruto backs off… he stands at a distance Naruto wouldn't be able to reach. He stares at Naruto and he asks, "I almost killed you… I betrayed you… then you're asking me to participate and help you? You must be insane!"

"Does a sane man…" Naruto stands up on his own despite the bleeding and frail body, "Believe whatever I could be seeing right now? Another me that claims that he's going to devour me? Ghosts that kill people?" He starts walking towards D. Naruto… but then stumbles down in weakness. He'll die in hemorrhage if he won't be treated by then. He then manages to sit up, "I want to save Hinata, Sasuke, Sakura, Sai and every ghost in this place. They should be resting right now… free from all the misery they have gone through."

"…" D. Naruto stays speechless. Naruto looks soulfully at him and beams, "This time I— no, we will succeed!"

"Counterparts are pain in the ass." D. Naruto approaches Naruto and says, "Listen to me, birdbrain. Madara won't stop until you're eliminated. He might valued you greatly before but you're destroying everything now." Naruto twitches and watches D. Naruto touch his forehead. The latter says, "But okay, I'll watch you from here. Take a step up, dreamer."

000ooo000

"Hinata!" Naruto runs through the corridors, not caring of all the nurses that could have seen him. He is all bloody and there are nine long chains with barb wires connected to him like tails that are floating behind him… ready to sting when necessary. Sakura, Ino, Karin and Kiba are running towards the same direction where Karin claims to pick up Sasuke and Hinata's energies. They bump into Naruto and they get surprised with the tails behind him…

"I'll explain when we're done!" Naruto runs and Karin tells them that those belong to D. Naruto. They run towards the direction and like a recent scene, Naruto witnesses Hinata getting burned by Sasuke's flames of hatred, "Hinata!"

[End of Chapter Eight]

**Sakura**: There, she still has a shred of love for me. She decides to revive me… but designed my character to fit someone else rather than Sasuke or Naruto. The fight scenes are a bit… uhm… appearing to be really game-like. And she wants to thank **Hyperwiwi** for reviewing almost every chapter. Thank you very much, **Hyperwiwi**. And she says… about the drawing, she would like to see that. And she wants to apologize for promising a false one though. Here is the update… and it didn't take later two days to get posted. She's really sorry.

And yes, she wants to promote her nerw story that will come in weeks, that is for sure, though. She asked a friend to betaread it for her… and so, oh well. It's a GaaSaku story. (Pairing me with Gaara? And with someone else? Oh my.)

Thanks for reading and waiting for the eight chapter. Please review and continues reading until the end. :)

**RH WIKI! **What she means by "edges out from the spine" is… it looks like tails. If you look closely at cats and dogs, their tails edges out directly from the end of their spine. Or more likely, it is directly connected to their spines. That explains it. But I guess you figure it out since she describe it as TAILS. (No, not the hedgehog that she loves.)

(The end comments are getting a bit low-budgeted these days… I wonder why.)


	9. Awaited Awakening

_Naruto runs through the corridors, not caring of all the nurses that could have seen him. He is all bloody and there are nine long chains with barb wires connected to him like tails that are floating behind him… ready to sting when necessary. Sakura, Ino, Karin and Kiba are running towards the same direction where Karin claims to pick up Sasuke and Hinata's energies. They bump into Naruto and they get surprised with the tails behind him. They continue running towards the direction and like a recent scene, Naruto witnesses Hinata getting burned by Sasuke's flames of hatred, "Hinata!"_

Sasuke doesn't turn to look at him and Hinata continues to scream. Naruto runs to Hinata but Sakura stops him by pulling him with her rope made of ashes from her other hand, "Naruto, don't get too near! Hinata's going to be fine! Remember what Sasuke did to me?" Naruto stops struggling and painfully watches Hinata getting burned with Sasuke's flames. Karin then gazes at Sasuke… noticing that his aura is slowly… vanishing. She widens her eyes and yells, "Sasuke! Stop!"

"…" No response comes from him and then Karin feels heart-breaking dread. She falls from the ceiling with her _fishtail made of concrete_ and Kiba somehow catches her. The others look at her and then back to D. Hinata's side when a voice speaks, "I guess I haven't missed the show yet." They see Sai with a man with long spiky hair standing behind D. Hinata. Karin cries, "Lord Madara…"

"Don't get…" Madara starts walking towards D. Hinata and the girl begs, "Too near, Lord… Madara… you might… get hurt…" Madara smirks and looks at Sasuke… who has his bangs covering his face right now. He answers D. Hinata while still gazing at Sasuke, "No need to fret, Hinata. It won't be long." Then he shoots a glare at Naruto, "I never thought Dark Naruto would give up… he even gave you his tails. However, whether he did it or not, I will still win. And you will lose, Sa-su-ke." Upon pronouncing the raven's name, Madara gives his gaze back at him.

"…" Sasuke continues to remain silent and then the flames extinguishes on its own. Naruto twitches and looks at Sasuke… who happens to just start staggering a bit and then falls to the side. Naruto breaks Sakura's ash whip in an instant and catches the guy and assists him in sitting down. Naruto calls him to wake up, "Sasuke! Hey! Sasuke!"

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno –Sakura no Imooto-**

**Chapter 9: Awaited Awakening**

'_I never thought I would lose you like this… but I have to…'_

"Poor child." Madara continues to speak as Sai helps D. Hinata up, "He gave away most of his energy to get little Sakura back from Sai's Realm… just to prevent you from crying out loud, Naruto. Then he fights Dark Hinata with his all… since he can't manage if he will cut down. Now, he's getting all weak… but I still have more moves to play. I hope you can keep up with that. The eclipse might have passed but the full moon is still in these blood-painted skies. Tonight, I shall do it all… over again." The three of them vanishes and Naruto grinds his teeth madly and balls his fists in self-hatred. He punches the floor three times and curses at every hit, "Dammit. Dammit. Dammit."

"N-Naruto." Karin says as her lower body turns into of a human's again and Sakura feels the ashes wearing off her. Naruto turns to Karin and she says, "We still have time before dark. We better…" She stands up with Kiba's help, "We better think of a way to stop Lo— uh, Madara from summoning Dark Sai. If he does, we're finished." Karin says and they agree to retreat for now…

000ooo000

"Why didn't Sasuke vanish?" Naruto asks Karin as they stare at the sleeping Sasuke at the bed. And then Karin points out, "The same reason why you can still walk. But we can't say it's the effect of the eclipse because it's already over and the night time hasn't really started." Sakura nods and she gazes at Ino and Kiba, "Are you really sure you're alright? The both of you?" Ino smiles and enthusiastically nods, "Yes, Sakura. We will stay here… no matter what happens!"

"…" Karin then sighs and looks around as she says, "The whole hospital seems to be aware of this certain phenomenon and their efforts are somehow appreciated. I know you—" She shoots a gaze at Naruto, "You wouldn't let anyone get hurt and that will slow down our actions. But since the hospital staff is cautious enough, we shouldn't bother thinking about the innocents. Now I wanted to tell you that without Sasuke, we don't stand a chance against even Hinata herself."

"I'm going to wake her up." Naruto says, earning their gazes, "I promised her that if ever I end this curse, I will never let her vanish without a smile." Sakura smiles a little helpless one, "That's so Naruto. Anyway, we have to deal with Sai and the other ghosts as well."

"No." Karin says and looks at Sakura, "Sai is not our enemy. He's pressured to come with Madara… everyone is. But I won't let him wake Dark Sai up. He shouldn't wake up… he shouldn't." Naruto then sits at the edge of the bed and asks after he strokes at those raven locks, "What can Dark Sai do?"

"Something Sasuke wouldn't."

Everyone looks at Karin and she looks at the floor, "It is what Sasuke had told me… it's just Hinata and Sasuke that knows what Dark Sai can do. But Sasuke has told me that no matter what happens he shouldn't be awakened. And when Sasuke says he's dangerous… he really is." Naruto clutches his other hand and then the clock starts to go faster. Sakura sees the day go on in a much different pace. She frowns at the scenery outside and Karin looks at the window as well, "Izuna's working on his magic. We need to stop him from completely—"

It is too late, though. It's hard to stop him anyway. The five watched in horror as the sunset speeds up in a second. Sasuke groans a little and Naruto notices him. The blond smiles his relief, "Sasuke, you're awake." The raven looks at him and decides to sit up… with the blond's assistance. Karin gets to him and says, "Sasuke, are you feeling fine now?"

"What time is it?" Sasuke says and then Naruto looks outside, "We can't tell." Sasuke follows suit and sees how the sun vanish into the dark horizon of the night. He frowns and stands up, "There's a little exhibition Madara is willing to put into play…"

"Then what's next?" Sakura asks and the group starts walking outside the room. They watch the hallways transform into what they look like in the Ghost Realm. Kiba and Ino gulp as Naruto and Sakura feels something different. The latter two develop their ghost features and Sasuke stares at Naruto's deadly tails. He then asks, "Naruto… w-where did you get those?"

"Huh? These?" Naruto gazes over his shoulder to see the slowly wriggling chain tails, "I got it from Dark Naruto. It's bit scary but—" Sasuke looks away as Karin runs through the wall and emerge as the wall mermaid again. She circles around and gazes at Sasuke, "Sasuke, the archives is giving off a large aura. You think they are there?"

"No, Karin. We're going somewhere else." Sasuke then gazes at Naruto and walks ahead of the group. Naruto frowns and runs to catch up with the raven as the others begin walking as well. Naruto asks Sasuke, "What can Dark Sai do, Sasuke? Karin has told us that guy is extremely dangerous." Sasuke refuse to answer and then Naruto tugs the raven ghost. Sasuke gazes at Naruto and the blond says, "You cannot just hide anything now, Sasuke. Let me help you."

"You don't have to worry about Dark Sai…" Sasuke faces Naruto and gently takes off those tan fingers off his arm, "Because you won't be able to even see him. All you have to worry about is Madara. No one else." The blond then grabs Sasuke's hand with the same he used to tug the raven, "And you're making me worry about you. And I'm not going to stop until you tell me what the hell are you planning."

"…" Sasuke looks at him eye-to-eye and then he smiles, "Thank you." He takes off Naruto's hand and continues walking ahead. Karin swims near Naruto and then she whispers, "Sasuke never tells anyone what he is planning. Because the moment he does… Madara will know. Let's just trust him in this… like how you always do." She swims towards Sasuke and Kiba puts a hand on Naruto's shoulder, "That dude knows what he's doing. And he's the only one that knows how to stop this madness…"

"That's why I'm getting worried." Naruto murmurs, loud enough for Ino and Sakura who are approaching him to hear, "He is the only one who knows what he's doing… and he doesn't care what will happen to him after that." Sakura gazes at Naruto and then to the distant Sasuke, "He's less cooperative than Karin. I wonder what makes every ghost so loyal to him. Madara even needs to taint their souls for them to obey him."

"Sakura. Naruto. Kiba." Ino whispers and the three gazes at her. She looks away and outs a little, "Let's grab some beach when we get out of here." Sakura smiles and nods and Kiba laughs, "Hell yeah!" Naruto smiles a little as well and then Karin emerges above them, "Hey, slow pokes, what do you think you're doing? We do not the luxury of time to spend. We're in a hurry, remember?"

"Karin." Naruto looks at her with a smile, "Come with us to the beach when we're done, okay? You're already alive, right?" The red head twitches and blushes, "Like I can wear bikini with these stitches. Let's just hurry, Sasuke's waiting." She swims back to where she should be and we run to chase her. Naruto equips his determined eyes, _'She's right… Sasuke's waiting…'_

===/\\\===

"Brother." Izuna whispers as they are standing at a very dark place where D. Hinata is sitting at the floor, swaying madly as she hums some sort of lullaby her mother used to sing. Sai is also there sitting above a certain ritual circle and is wrapped in chains. Madara seems to be waiting for their arrival and he whispers, "Izuna, I don't want you to interfere… anymore."

"But Brother… I can't just watch these things."

"Oh yes. You are going to." His brother hiss and Izuna drops his head. He gazes at Sai and the brunet says, "Izuna… you know you have to do something. You are the only one Lord Madara can't control." Izuna wants to say something but he decides to keep it to himself. He then calls D. Hinata's attention, "Hinata, what are you singing?"

"Mother's… lullaby…" she answers… breaking the humming for a while and continues after…

"Any minute now, your Dad's assistant will come. Are you ready, Hinata?" Madara smirks and it freezes her for a moment. She then gazes at Madara with teary eyes, "He's coming?" Madara gives a reassuring nod and she flings to the opposite direction. She then slips her fingers through her hair and pulls on it as she bangs her head around, "NO! NO! NO!" Izuna looks at Madara and watches his brother get all smug for agitating the woman. He then looks at Sai and the brunet says, "Izuna, you knew what will happen, right?"

"I do." He answers and then Sai smirks, "Dammit. Why just now? Seriously, I won't really care if we have done this years before." Madara gazes at him as well as Izuna does… both listening to what the brunet has to say. He continues despite D. Hinata's cries, "Because by then, Naruto isn't here. The innocent and loving intern Naruto Karakuri…" Madara frowns and Izuna keeps his eyes to the ground. Madara then smirks and seems to get entertained by the chained brunet, "Did Sasuke tell you about Naruto?"

"Tell me, Lord Madara." Sai throw some dagger looks at Madara, "What do you feel… killing your very own—" Madara frowns at him again… and something like a strong force hits Sai… forcing him to shut up. Accidentally, it also hits D. Hinata and it has thrown her somehow away. She cries again and Madara smiles devilishly, "My bad. Shut up now, Hinata. Save your tantrums for later."

"Neji-nii-san…" She cries a bit… struggling to get herself in a sitting position. She then sobs some more, "Mister…" Then a portal draws… revealing Sasuke and the others. Madara laughs out loud and yells with his very own sinister voice, "Sasuke! Naruto! Karin! Welcome! Any minute now, Dark Sai will rise and you won't be able to do anything about it!"

"I can…" Sasuke says and D. Hinata immediately summons her IV Dragon and attacks Sasuke… however, Naruto whips his tails to disperse the dragon… much to Sasuke and D. Hinata's surprise. The blond says, "Hinata! Wake up! Your dad will never come back here! I've promised you, right!" Madara frowns and airs another shockwave to hit D. Hinata, Naruto and Sasuke.

However, one tail strikes at the ground and seems to split the wave in half. But after that, the tail breaks into pieces and Naruto winces in pain. The three targets are not hit and D. Hinata gazes at Naruto. Naruto then yells, "Hey! You're not going to have your way with things!"

"Oh really, Naruto? Well as expected from Dark Naruto who has served me longer than Sasuke has… such power. But do you think that alone is enough for you to win over me?" Madara smirks and he raises his arms and dark circles beside Sai appear. There shoot out hands and dashes towards Kiba and Ino. Naruto tries to save them as well as Sakura would love to… but Madara catches them off guard and throws them off with another shockwave along with Sasuke and Karin.

Kiba and Ino start to struggle at the hands and they try to stand up from the hit. Naruto grinds his teeth and Sasuke rises up only to stare at the scene before them. Kiba and Ino calls for them and then Sai starts screaming in pain. Izuna clutches his fist… doing nothing but witness the awakening… of another Dark Soul. D. Hinata looks at Madara with innocence and plea and she whispers, "Lord Madara… stop hurting Mister… please?"

"Hinata." Madara smiles and then he eyes at her, "Mister didn't keep his promise to you. Don't you remember? He vanished and then your dad came to kill you." She has her eyes widen and then Naruto yells, "Hinata! Don't… listen to him!" She then looks at Naruto… then back to Madara. Madara smirks and says, "Hinata, no one ELSE can keep their promise to you. They all should die."

"Why?" D. Hinata cries again… and then she screams yet again, "WHY CAN NO ONE SAVE ME!" The hands start to squeeze Kiba and Ino as D. Hinata starts her psycho movements. Sakura yells as she goes running towards the Ino, "Ino, hang on! I'm coming!" Sai raises his head and one of his arms manages to slip through the chains. It gets to Sakura and grabs her neck… pushing her off and pinning her to the ground. Sakura yells as she tries to take off the hand, "Sai! What are you doing! Let me go!"

Karin is incredibly frozen by fear… watching the show from the background. She is just recovering from the throw and she can't do anything. She cannot possibly summon her bloody hands there at Sai's Realm. All she can do is watch… anticipating the grim rise of Dark Sai. She looks at Naruto… then to Sasuke, D. Hinata, Madara, Sakura and Izuna. Then she looks at Sai as the guy starts talking with utter pain, "Sakura, Naruto… do not risk taking them now. These circles will only devour you!"

"No…" Sakura cries as Ino tries to reach out her hand to Sakura, "Sakura! Help me! I don't want to die!" But then Sakura turns into ashes to escape from Sai's grasp and it travelled fast to get Ino. However, it has been too late. The hands submerge into the dark hole and they can only hear the two scream like they are getting torn apart. Sakura turns back into her human image and screams, "Ino! Kiba! No!" Sai looks away… trying to mute the sounds of extreme pain.

A fire whip holds Sakura by the waist and drags her back to where Karin is. She struggles as she is getting dragged, "Sasuke! No! I can't let them suffer down there!" Sasuke says emotionlessly… eyes locked at Madara, "It's already too late." Sakura stares at him with wide eyes that couldn't believe what he has just said. Naruto shuts his eyes to let tears flow and then angrily says, "Damn you, Madara! I'm going to kill you!"

"Heh. Leave your drama for later, you still have one more opponent to fight… as you listen to your friends' scream as Dark Sai devours them." Madara smirks and then D. Hinata stops moving… tears covering her face turns to blood. She whispers as she looks up at the 'ceiling', "Mister… why… why… why…" She then drops her head and glares at Naruto, "WHY DO YOU HAVE TO HURT ME, TOO!"

The dragon gets revived and it seems to get stronger… since Naruto blocks it with another tail and the other tails block the stinging tubes as they come. Then a strange voice rings inside Naruto's head, _**"Oi, Naruto. Can you hear me?"**_

'_Dark Naruto?'_

"_**Hell yeah. Tell Hinata Madara killed you in the fire. No buts! Just tell her he did!"**_

'_But… what if she won't believe me? What if believes in Madara more?'_

"_**Listen to me, brat. Madara has bigger plans than keeping Dark Hinata. Whether she believes you now or not, it won't change the fact that she is not needed anymore!"**_

'_Not needed anymore? No, he can't harm her too!'_

"_**So try and do something!"**_

Naruto decides to do what is told… then maybe it can reverse the situation. He yells, "Hinata! I… I didn't break my promise! He… killed me with the fire! He is the one who stopped me from keeping my promise! He's the one who wants your Father to come!" She twitches and stops attacking and the blond successfully disperses another dragon. D. Hinata turns to Madara with a fling and asks with a broken voice, "You killed him? Did you?"

"Heh. Dark Naruto just couldn't keep his mouth shut." Madara smirks and Izuna twitches… as the voices of the mortals beneath them have disappeared. The older brother smirks bigger, "I did, Hinata. I did kill Naruto in the fire so he can't really keep his promise to you. Why, Hinata? Finally seeing things… the way they really are? You're such a naïve little girl. And you have served me well, though." D. Hinata shakes her head in denial… as dark circles again appear beside Sai.

The same two hands appear again as well. One hand dashes to D. Hinata and starts squeezing her. She starts screaming… tears and blood mixing in her face. Naruto tries to attack the hand but then Sai's arm pushes him off again. He yells, "Naruto! you can do something better than getting yourself killed!"

"But Sai!" Naruto yells… trying to condition himself from risking himself. Then Sasuke stares at Naruto… and then he speaks loud enough for Sakura to hear, "You take care of Naruto for me. If you don't, I won't hesitate to really kill you." Sakura twitches and he smiles, "I can't let Dark Sai awaken… but I'll let my other self." Sakura shoots up as Sasuke runs towards Sai's direction. The other hand is about to grab Sai but then Sasuke attacks it with his fire whip… the last of his energy.

Naruto notices his action and he yells, "Sasuke!" Sai flings to the brunet as the hand attacks him. Sai looks away and then Madara smirks bigger… already tasting the red wine of victory in his lips. Izuna gapes his mouth open, _'No! Why is Sasuke sacrificing himself! Does he even know what's he going to do?'_ Sakura and Karin yells, "Sasuke!" The hand gets to grab Sasuke and it squeezes him so much… but he hasn't given any groan but only small and restrained winces.

The other hand gets to squash D. Hinata… splitting her from the 'body'. But Sasuke gets taken wholly and the two are held near Madara and the latter yells in victory, "Right, Sasuke! You do know better than to awaken Dark Sai!" Sasuke smirks despite the pain, "No one can control Dark Sai… and no one can stop him. But someone can stop you… as long as I can keep him alive!" Madara reduces his smirk and they are taken downwards as D. Hinata cries, "Mister!"

"Sasuke! Hinata!" Naruto yells and then the chains wrapped around Sai get broken. Sai uses his only left aura to escape to Naruto's place. Naruto watches and listens in horror… as he hears D. Hinata scream… followed by something unknown. A very different noise and feeling… very dreadful… something more fearful than Madara's aura itself. Sai pulls Hinata's body close to where they are and Madara raises his hands again… making a big dark circle appear before him, "There's nothing you can do now, Naruto. I have already won this war!"

A being rises from the ground and it… looks like Sasuke… the burning boy. Fire circles around him and he moves his lips… but no sound is getting uttered. Naruto stands up in disbelief and shakes his head in denial. Madara declares as he laughs out loud, "I now present you my ultimate weapon! DARK SASUKE!" D. Sasuke opens his eyes and there lies black flames. The fire circling around turns into black flame and then it swallowed every one of them. Naruto yells with tears flowing from his eyes as he reaches out, "SASUKE!"

[End of Chapter Nine]

**Suigetsu: **Wow… that's a little intense right there. And yeah, Dark Sasuke is now awake and things will get very intense after this! And yeah, Madara played a perfect villain right there! Hahahah!

**Karin: **I do wonder why she has decided to freeze me and made me look like a weakling. And this chapter is way shorter than the other chapters…

**Suigetsu:** She even gave suggestions of you wearing a bikini! How's that gon'na look like!

**Karin: **You pig. I'm definitely going to make you regret that.

**Rei: **Yeah, watch out for my **TCS: Raven on the Sunshine Bay**! I will be making Karin wear bikini there for real!

**Karin: **Shut up, Rei Haruno.

**Suigetsu:** And yeah that should do it for the end comments!

**Rei: **Since that's M, why don't I _ask_ Suigetsu to dance naked at TCS: RSB? What do you think, Karin?

**Karin: ***blush* Quit advertising another fic in here…


	10. Izuna's Little Betrayal

_A being rises from the ground and it… looks like Sasuke… the burning boy. Fire circles around him and he moves his lips… but no sound is getting uttered. Naruto stands up in disbelief and shakes his head in denial. Madara declares as he laughs out loud, "I now present you my ultimate weapon! DARK SASUKE!" D. Sasuke opens his eyes and there lies black flames. The fire circling around turns into black and then it swallows every one of them. Naruto yells with tears flowing from his eyes as he reaches out, "SASUKE!"_

The black flames devour the whole place, sparing nothing… from their very images to the tears dripping from Naruto's face. Those sapphire orbs have hold the very sorrow and pain Naruto has… trying to reach out for Sasuke that he also wants to save. Things could have been too late now… there's no one else to help them… but themselves.

Blink…

They all wake up in the floor of Naruto's room… everyone so sure that they are supposed to be all dead from D. Sasuke's black flames. Naruto sits up… tears drying up in his cheeks. Sai gets up as well and says, "Sasuke plans to do this… the very moment he didn't get to kill Hinata. He has got no choice."

"We could have tried to fight Madara… before resorting to something… so stupid like that." Naruto cries some more, bowing his head and pounding his fists at the floor. Sakura keeps quiet… she has lost Ino and she doesn't even have someone to lean on anymore. Karin bows her head… getting depressed for not getting useful in the fight earlier. Sai then gazes at Hinata… as she starts to groan. They all look at her, except for Naruto who is too stunned to hear her, and she sits up… to look around, "What happened? I can't remember everything that happened."

"Dark Sasuke is awake… do you know of something to stop him?" Sai asks and Hinata gasps, "No, Dark Sasuke… is awake…" She then looks at Naruto… his very face confirms the fact. She drops her head and apologizes to everyone, "I'm so sorry. If only I didn't let Dark Hinata rise… things won't be like this."

"Things will still be the same, Hinata." They all twitch at a familiar voice and they fling their heads to see… "Izuna!" Sakura growls, greatly displacing her anger to the younger brother, "What are you doing here! Are you here to finish us off!" Izuna shakes his head and Karin holds both of Sakura's shoulders to calm her down. Izuna continues explaining, "Fear not, Miss Sakura. I have even saved you from the explosion in the last second. Back to Hinata, don't blame yourself. Whether Dark Hinata did or did not awaken, as long the seal of Dark Sai is available for Brother to open, things will be like this. He never tried to awaken Dark Sai, all he wanted is Dark Sasuke himself."

"So whatever happens…" Naruto finally speaks… as he slowly looks at Izuna with those swollen eyes, "We won't be able to stop him from… from getting Sasuke?" Hinata drops her head again and Sai looks away from his view at Naruto's face. Karin involuntarily squeezes the pinky's shoulders as Sakura bits her lower lip… remembering the little favor Sasuke has asked her. Izuna walks to Naruto and kneels down, "We can still take him back, Naruto. But are you willing to risk it?"

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno –Sakura no Imooto-**

**Night 10: Izuna's Little Betrayal **

'_I have decided to walk my own path… crossing yours and leading you to righteousness…'_

"Take him **back**!" Naruto shoots up and grabs Izuna's collar, "How!" Everyone gets attentive to Izuna's next words… excluding Sakura who feels a little down. Izuna smiles cutely, "Just like how you can reverse things, we have to find the real cause of Sasuke's pain. If we manage to find it, there may be a way for us to get through Dark Sasuke. But that's the only thing we can lean on. If that doesn't work…"

"It's better than having nothing!" Naruto tugs on Izuna's collar again. And then younger brother looks at Sakura, "Normally, it takes Dark Sai hours to devour a soul given to him during that ritual. But since Dark Sasuke ate him first… your friends are still safe within the innermost circle of Sai's realm. Sasuke can get down there so we can fetch them up after this."

"R-Really?" Sakura gapes her mouth open in disbelief. Karin frowns and then she says, "And how are we supposed to know the real cause of Sasuke's pain?" Izuna smiles again and his hands cup at Naruto's neck. The blond twitches and Izuna answers, "It's easy, Karin. I'll be taking you somewhere… but I'll need Dark Naruto's memories for this little stunt." He looks at Naruto… who's been frowning at him, "Well, I taught Sasuke how to transport someone back to past. If you're a little satisfied with what he has done before, I can do it better."

"You know, you do act like your brother somehow. But seriously… what are you trying to do, Izuna?" Naruto hisses at him and the brother displays a childish happy face… then kisses him. Everyone gets surprised and then everything turns into a black void… _**"Your way of borrowing memories, huh."**_

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

"Naruto, sorry about the method… but that's the only way I guess. Don't worry about your friends, they are all here with me. Just do what you need to do… I'm sure Dark Naruto knows what exactly you have to do. Good luck, Naruto."

…

"Oi, Naruto!" A paper plane hits Naruto's face and he abruptly gets it upon the crash. His head starts to hurt and he looks around. It looks like an office… and he flings at where the table is. There lies Madara who has his face shoved at the table and his hands are playing with some files, turning each page into paper planes… and making them fly towards Naruto's face, "Oi, Naruto. How long are you planning to make me wait? Go and make yourself useful." Naruto cocks his head to the side… quite puzzled by the task he has to do.

"_**Make coffee, Naruto."**_ Naruto stands up and leaves the room. He closes the door behind him and he looks around. The place seems to be a little 'younger' than when Sasuke has transported him. Then his legs start walking as he hears D. Naruto says, _**"Okay, observe from there, Naruto. I guess you cannot speak since this is the past. Naruto Uzumaki… let me, Naruto Karakuri, your past life, lead you... just for now. You do things later."**_

It is quite puzzling for Naruto to see Madara in such a mood. Everything seems to be normal and fine… no ghost things flying around. Maybe it's because this is UM MedCenter… more than seventy years ago. (Naruto's not even sure if it has the same name before.) The regular routine seems to be quite weird for Naruto… making coffee almost every three hours, collecting report files from heads, cleaning Madara's office every time possible, fixing paper planes, waking up Madara almost every time Naruto gets back at the office…

He even sees Izuna in a wheelchair and he always in his brother's office. Naruto's mind has been so silent that he can't even hear his own thoughts. And then the 999 code catches everyone off guard… even making Madara violently fidget from his still position. The doctors and nurses rush to the ER and Naruto finds the victim even before he gets inside the restricted room. Raven hair… porcelain skin… "Sasuke." Naruto is finally able to say something…

But there is something else to think about. He has seen Sasuke covered in stabs and it is quite impossible for a… ten-year-old kid to survive something like that. He is left stunned before the doors that closed after the patient has been taken in… "Sasuke…"

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

"Oi, Naruto."

"Ah. Coffee again, Dr. Uchiha?" Naruto says… trying to keep up the respect D. Naruto emphasizes a while ago. Madara sighs and straightens, but latterly places his chin on his fist with his elbow at the desk, "You seemed to be disturbed by that new patient? Want me to assign you to nurse him? You haven't done your _pledged job_ ever since you became my assistant."

"…" Naruto gets a little stunned, _'So I AM his assistant. But why does he try to kill me? Is it somehow connected to Sasuke's pain?'_ Naruto just nods and Madara starts to find something beneath the piles of files. He opens the folder and reads the pages through… then he suddenly calls Naruto's attention, "Oi, Naruto. I want you to go to the Head Nurse first… tell her to approve this file for me." He then closes the folder and Naruto takes it. The blond then slowly walks towards the door and then he latterly flings at the Head Doctor. Madara, catching his sudden gaze, asks the nurse, "Hm?"

Naruto stares at him… taking note of everything that is different from what he remembers Madara to be. Those non-murderous eyes, those lips that do not seem to smirk every time and that innocent aura enveloping the person… things that do not seem to be his. The blond then faces his… with a small smile, "Dr. Uchiha, is there something that can erase your innocence… right now?"

Madara frowns at him… hearing a weird question for Naruto to ask. He then stops staring and lays back at the soft back supporter of the upholstered seat, "Ask another question and I will be kicking you out of this room, Naruto." Naruto then turns to the door to get out the room. He closes it behind him and he bites his lower lip, _'Everything seems to be… not fine. I don't feel good. That Madara seems to be so fraud… or maybe because… he's not dead yet.'_

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

Naruto delivers the file to the person concerned and he is instructed to wait for it in three hours. Instead of sitting stupid inside the office, he takes the free time to roam around… doing the reason why he has been transported back to the past. He passes through the ICU… and goes back as he sees Sasuke resting at the distant. Naruto gazes at the overlooking glass as he presses his palms against the breakable transparent thing, _'Sasuke…'_

"Anou, you shouldn't really do that, Naruto." Naruto twitches at the speaker and sees a familiar face… he cannot seem to remember where he has seen her. She cocks her head to the side and asks, "Is there something on my face, Naruto?" Naruto shakes his head hesitantly and brings his hands down. She then gazes at patient inside, "Do you know him?"

"…" Naruto looks back at Sasuke… hesitantly telling her an answer. Then the female nurse gets near him, gently bumping him with her hips, "Hey. Anou…" Naruto looks at her and she whispers at his ear, placing her lips near the sensitive part, "Have you heard about the Central Hospital's threats? The one that concerns East Konoha's Medical Center?" Naruto twitches and his eyes move to the side to see her as she continues, "I guess you haven't… since you are always inside Dr. Uchiha's office. Central Hospital will try to close down this hospital… and now, almost everyone will be leaving. But of course, there are some who will stay behind."

"Does… Dr. Uchiha knows about that?" Naruto asks and the woman shrugs, "He does… but he's not doing anything about it. But as far as I'm concerned, I will be leaving the moment my patients can leave the hospital." Naruto looks at her and she says with a sigh, "East Med's going to go through one hell of jungle right now." She then twitches, "Hey, makes sense! It is Monkey this year!"

"Monkey?" Naruto echoes and she looks at Naruto with cluelessness, "Yeah, Monkey. 1932 is Monkey. Don't you know that?" Naruto twitches with an utter shriek, _'What! 1932? Eight years earlier than when Sasuke has transported me here! No wonder things are different than before… I mean, the first trip.'_ Naruto flings to the side opposite the girl and then frowns at the floor, _'Maybe the ghost curse is not even here by this time. And if Sasuke's still human… that means I can still save him!'_ Naruto gives a determined look and balls his fist tightly.

"Anou, Naruto." The woman bows down as soon as Naruto looks at her, "I have to go now. I have a little girl to attend to. And yes, please keep in mind." She whispers again at Naruto's ears, "Be careful around Dr. Uchiha… you wouldn't know what may happen." Naruto twitches and watches her leave him… _'What does she mean by that?'_

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

Naruto has come back to the Head Nurse's office to claim the to-be signed files. He exits the place and sees a familiar innocent face at the hallway… looking around as if lost. He grins widely and jogs to him, "Izuna-bro! Forgot the way again?" Izuna looks at him and smiles as he scratches his head, "Uhh, a little. I just found someone sneaking around… I decided to follow him. I end up in a hallway I don't even know…"

"Don't worry, Izuna-bro… I'll take you to Dr. Uchiha." Izuna bows his thank you and apology and then he takes the folder so Naruto can roll the wheelchair all the way to Madara's office. Izuna opens the folder… seeing that it's not sealed or whatsoever. He reads through the files… "Naruto… have you attended to the patient at the ICU just now?"

"Huh?" Naruto looks down at him… watching him turn the pages of the folder. Izuna lifts his face to see Naruto, "It states here that Naruto Karakuri is in charge of him until he gets better… defined as able to walk and eat normally." Naruto freezes… and suddenly picks up the pace, making Izuna hold on his chair tighter than needed, "Ah, I didn't see that coming. I should be by his side right now."

"C-Careful, Naruto." Izuna smiles… but it starts to twitch when Naruto gets faster. The nurses they pass by start to warn Naruto about his speed. They have reached the office and Madara looks at Naruto with wonder, seeing Izuna's face stricken with tense and relief, "Did something happen?" Izuna moves the wheels and goes to Madara, "N-Nothing really, Brother. Uh, thank you, Naruto…"

"Dr. Uchiha, you didn't tell me, you're—" Naruto speaks but Madara interrupts him as he places his chin at his balled fist with elbows planted on the table, "Oh yes, I did. You are just stupefied by the condition of that boy…" Izuna gives him the folder and Madara reads through it, talking to Naruto without looking at the blond, "What are you waiting for? Tend to the patient, you idiot."

"Ah-I will…" Naruto leaves the room and he walks towards the ICU where Sasuke is. _'If I can save him now… that would save him from the curse and he wouldn't go through everything he has undergone! I have to!' _Naruto runs faster and then he bumps a guy at the corridor with a thud and a click. The guy apologizes and Naruto does the same as well… but the blond runs towards the ICU in a hurry, ignoring the little collision.

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

Naruto is sitting at the seat beside the patient bed… the patient has been moved to a long-term room at the seventh floor of the hospital. Sasuke is getting stable and Naruto is happy about it. His hand is playing with Sasuke's raven tuft and is holding the boy's hand with his free hand. And then a nurse calls him from the door, "Naruto." He turns and sees the nurse earlier… beckoning him to come. Naruto glances at Sasuke to whisper an 'I'll be back' and goes with the female nurse.

"Naruto, can you help me with Hinata? She doesn't sleep anymore… well, again." She drops her head and they go inside a room. There sits Hinata, a ten-year-old Hinata, above the bed… her little body racking in a knee-chest position with her eyes bloodshot from not blinking and her cheek covered with dried tears. The very picture breaks Naruto… _'Even Hinata is here… I have to save the both of them…'_ Naruto goes near Hinata and places a hand at her head, _'I can stop their souls from getting tortured any further…'_

"Hello, Hinata." Naruto starts with a warm smile as the female nurse gets near, "Do you want something?" She gives no response and Naruto sits before Hinata and lowering his head to get a good view of Hinata's red eyes, "Are you waiting for somebody?" The female nurse tugs him and Hinata then stops moving, "I dropped it… my father's going to kill me. He's coming…" Tears flow from her eyes as she repeats, "He's coming…"

"No, he's not." Naruto holds Hinata's small shoulders and makes her look at him, "Your father is… stuck in the place where he really belongs. And he's not coming back for good. So stop crying now…" She stares at him and he smiles, "Trust me, he's not coming for you!" She closes her eyes and Naruto embraces her, "Just rest and sleep… he may be in your dreams… but I assure you… he's not coming back."

"A-Anou…" The female nurse tugs a sleeve of Naruto's uniform, "Your pager's beeping, Naruto." He looks at the device that is giving off a flashing light and a small beeping sound. Naruto then gives a final squeeze at Hinata and leaves the female nurse, "Just take her attention away from her father." The nurse nods and Naruto runs towards Madara's office.

He opens the door and it is Izuna who is paging him using the sleeping head doctor's pager, "There you are, Naruto. Can you help me with something? Well, Brother falls asleep before he can even finish telling me what to do…" Naruto scratches his head and grins enthusiastically, "Sure, Izuna-bro…"

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

Naruto sighs and he opens Sasuke's room door, "Those two are a handful…" Then he sees Sasuke sitting at his bed… gazing at his hands… his fully bandaged hands. Naruto walks in and closes the door behind him, plastering a warm smile at his lips, "Good morning, Sasuke…" He looks at him and Naruto sits at the edge of Sasuke's bed, "How're you feeling?" He clutches his fists… trying to retrain himself from embracing the ten-year-old that is still oblivious of the nurse's identity. But thing's can't be helped, he resorts to running his fingers at Sasuke's hair that is free from bandages.

The boy gazes at him more and Naruto smiles bigger and more sincere… gazing directly at the boy's eyes wounds him in the contrary. He then gazes off those onyx orbs and holds Sasuke's nearest hand, "Do you remember what happened to you before you've got here?" The boy doesn't budge… his eyes directly looking Naruto's face, trying to find a way through his eyes again. Moments later of feeling Naruto's warm hands enveloping his numb ones, his lips begin to move despite the cuts embracing it, "There's someone that needs… you more… so… don't waste your time here."

"Huh?" Naruto twitches and eyes of a breaking heart looks at him… the feeling of rejection embracing the blond's everything, "What do you mean? D-Don't you… want me here?" Sasuke frowns at him and says, "I don't even know you." Naruto freezes and drops his head… _'Right… he doesn't really… know. He doesn't know me for now… it'll take him eight years more.' _He then runs his hand at Sasuke's hair, much to Sasuke's surprise,"I know you don't… but you will. I know you will…" His voice then breaks and he leaves Sasuke's room…

'_I feel so hurt… Sasuke just rejected my presence in his room. I know it's reasonable but…'_ Naruto leans at the closed door and covers his eyes with a hand, _'I don't think… I accept that reason. Why should I be the only one who knows everything that has happened after? Sasuke…'_ Tears start to drip from eyes and he starts to sniff and sob, _'Why do I have to see Sasuke in a state where he always looks like dead… or near death? Why can't I even see him in a normal state? I had… but he's already dead by then… weak and dying again…'_

"_**Oi, Naruto! Can you hear me?"**_ Naruto twitches and then listens some more, _**"You're getting in too deep with this realm. It's getting harder and harder for me to talk to you… what more for Izuna to contact you. Hang in there, though. Have you seen the root?"**_

'_All I see is a Sasuke that wounds me. All I see is a small boy covered in cuts and wounds… that will be latterly embraced by fire. Dark Naruto, do I really have to witness something like this?' _Naruto sobs and starts to wipe tears off his eyes, Dark Naruto murmurs, not knowing what to really say to make him feel better, _**"Just think of this, Naruto. You're the only one that really cared for Sasuke. Look for his pain so you can take it away from him…"**_ Naruto clears any trace of his emotional breakdown. He just decides to walk towards the cafeteria…

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

Sundown has come and Naruto is on his way to go back to Sasuke's room. He opens the room and sees… hanging tubes and an empty bed. He gasps, "Oh fuck… Sasuke!" He runs around the hospital… his heavy footsteps echoing at the hallways. Then another voice gets into his head, "No… I can't believe this! But… But this is Dark Naruto's memories! He… can't alter this… no… NO! Naruto! Hurry! Go to the Head Doctor's Office! Please, Naruto!"

'_Izuna?'_ Naruto takes the stairs and run down from the seventh floor. Izuna responds, "Sorry, it took me too long to contact you again. Naruto, please, I beg you… I… I didn't think this is everything that has **really** happened. Naruto… please…" Naruto runs faster… "**Save** my brother!" Naruto suddenly stops running and pants. He looks around, "What do you mean 'save your brother'? Is something happening!"

"Naruto, you'll see what is happening as soon as you have reached him! Please hurry! Save him and the whole curse wouldn't even start!" Naruto then runs again and he says despite the fact that he is already catching his breath, "Can I really… stop this from happening? I mean…" Izuna then yells, "Just fucking **do** it, Naruto!" Naruto frowns and continues running down the stairs, _'Izuna curses… this is not going to get good. I've got to…' _He even starts jumping off the stairs last three steps, _'Save Madara now and stop the curse from happening…'_

He arrives at the first floor and sees a Sasuke standing at the hallway. Naruto grabs Sasuke's shoulder when he gets in front of the ten-year-old, "Sasuke! What are you doing in here!" The kid looks at him and says, "Get away from me…" Naruto steps backwards and the emergency siren sounds. He flings furiously and holds Sasuke's shoulders again, "Okay, just stay here, okay? Just stay here, please."

Naruto then runs further and gets to the Head Doctor's Office… while hearing Izuna sob in the background, murmuring things like of regret. The door is locked and a special key card is needed to open the door. Naruto runs his hands at his pockets… trying to feel where he could have put it. He then remembers the collision a while ago. The clicking sound… he must have dropped it. He punches the door, "Izuna, it won't open!"

No words responds but mere sobbing and sniffing… Izuna must have broke down in tears about something and Naruto curses yet again. He flings around and finds Sasuke walking towards him… staggering as he gets close. Those casts and bandages sure make walking too hard for the teen raven. Naruto goes to him and he asks, "Sasuke? I told you stay there." He gives a bloody keycard to him and says, "The man that has run out of the room has dropped this." Naruto takes it and clears the blood… only to see the 'Copy of Naruto K.' label at the card. It is his keycard to the Head Doctor's Office… and it has been soaked in blood.

He then uses it the door after wiping off all the blood… smudging it with his uniform, "Dammit it, open!" The door opens and Naruto peers inside… seeing a bloody mess. His eyes widen and he walks in with trembling feet. A toppled table… bloody documents… an Izuna dumped at the side… and a Madara that is lying stomach-flat at the ground. Blood is covering the two of them and Naruto gets near Madara's bloody body. He is holding something… like it is very important. Naruto takes it… and sees… his ID… the ID that might have fallen off with the keycard.

"No…" He then gazes at the door and there stands Sasuke… a crying child. Naruto goes to him and embraces him… pocketing the ID away from the child's gaze, "Sasuke… listen to me. Everything's… going to be fine…" Sasuke sobs… "If… If only I can run as fast as I could before… maybe I could have…"

The place starts to stagger and grow unstable… more like the very image of it. Sasuke's child figure starts to incinerate and Naruto cries, "Sasuke!" The black ashes then form into a figure of a teenager… no, not just any teenager… but D. Sasuke himself! Naruto gasps and D. Sasuke has his hand covered with black flames… about to stab him with it. But a tail automatically blocks it and D. Naruto yells, _**"Oi, Naruto! Fucking look around!"**_

Naruto steps backward as the tail endures the black flame. D. Sasuke then jumps backward to a place… and the image of the surroundings breaks like mirror… revealing Naruto's room. Madara is standing at the door… and Izuna is breaking down in tears at the floor. D. Sasuke is in burning boy form but with a clearer face and darker flames. Naruto flings behind him and his comrades are pinned down at the floor in pain. He then looks back at the trio before him, "Sasuke… Izuna…"

"I didn't think Izuna would go this far." Madara smirks put of anger and then Izuna cries, "Brother… wait, please. I just… I just…" Madara growls, "Enough, Izuna. We're leaving…" He gazes at Naruto and says, "Savor your last minutes, Naruto… and so just you know… you can never get Sasuke back." By that, dark flames engulf them and they disappear from sight as the fire dies out. Naruto then falls to his knees… seriously uncertain of anything…

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

Izuna and Madara are at the archives… with D. Sasuke childishly looking at everything there is. Madara then breaks the silence and asks, "Why, Izuna? What made you betray me like this! Why are you helping them see Sasuke's pain?" Izuna shakes his head and speaks with a more calm voice… but is still evident of a breakdown, "I… I just want our spirits to finally rest, Brother. So… so… I thought maybe Naruto would have repented if I show him the very reason why you have ever despised him. But—"

"Izuna, listen to me." Madara kneels down to face his brother and hold his shoulders, "That doesn't matter. All that matters now is that I can destroy him wholly now. After this, things will be finer and worth spending. Isn't it that what you want?" Izuna shakes his head much to Madara's surprise, "I didn't find it… I have raided Dark Naruto's memories… and it was never there! Brother, he—"

"Sasuke." Madara says with utter madness as he turns away from Izuna, "Burn everything to dust. Leave nothing untouched by your flames. Fill this place with your eternal hatred. NOW." Izuna then grabs his brother's sleeve, "No, Brother, stop! There's something you need to know!"

"Silence!" Madara stands up and walks away from the guy at the floor and D. Sasuke starts cultivating his dark flames for a big explosion. Then Izuna rises and calls his brother with a tone of defiance, "Brother!" Madara looks and then Izuna starts floating and the books at the archives start floating around as well, swirling as if a tornado has gone in. Madara blocks his face from the harsh wind but not blocking his eyes to see what Izuna is up to. Sasuke stops whatever he is doing and observes the rare phenomenon…

"Brother, our reason to exist after death lies within Sasuke's pain as well." Izuna has his eyes brighten heavily and the swirling books begin to open and the pages are getting browsed rapidly, "I'm not letting you commit another mistake. I will… I will use everything I have to help you correct it. Brother… let me… throw you back and witness things for yourself…"

"No… Izuna…" Madara calls before a sudden burst of light devours the whole place… just like how D. Sasuke's flames has devoured Sai's realm. Leaving nothing unlit and brushed away, the light explodes and all that is heard is one loud and painful cry, "IZUNA!"

[End of Chapter Ten]

**Naruto**: W-What's going on! W-Why did Izuna… blow up!

**Sasuke**: Idiot, he didn't blow up. It's something the readers should wait for, though.

**Naruto**: And yeah, it's good Rei Haruno didn't get serious with that **scene** she wants to do. *sighs* I didn't think she's that kind…

**Sasuke**: *rolls his eyes* Stupid.

**Naruto**: Huh?

**Sasuke**: She's been reserving that for another fic and it'll be so intense that she's going to… try and catch up with her favorite SasuNaru Yaoi Hentai fics. She's been preparing for that kind of scenes from the background and I think… she'll be going to carry it out at the next chapter of another fic… of course starring us **again**.

**Naruto**: *scratches head rapidly* Ugh, dammit tte ba yo! I love having fans… but not with this Yaoi thing!

**Sasuke**: You started it anyway.

**Naruto**: I didn't!

**Sasuke**: Who's the whore that's been chasing me around, huh?

**Naruto**: …

*And once again… Naruto is defeated, dramatically falls on his knees. And Sasuke leaves him alone at the dim stage…*

**Naruto**: Kishimoto is the one who made me kiss you… **once**. He's the one who has given consent to the animators to make me kiss you… **again**. He's also the one who made me chase you around! He's the one— Ugh! Knock it out!

**MK Supporters led by Rei Haruno**: *stone Naruto for a while* Do not blame him for this, you idiot! You will never get oh so famous without him, you damn little cretin!

**Naruto**: Hey! Ouw! Dammit tte ba yo…

**Rei**: PS. Yeah! I'm gambling! Thank you for the little push, Hyperwiwi!


	11. Threshold of Enlightenment

"_Brother, our reason to exist after death lies within Sasuke's pain as well." Izuna has his eyes brighten heavily and the swirling books begin to open and the pages are getting browsed rapidly, "I'm not letting you commit another mistake. I will… I will use everything I have to help you correct it. Brother… let me… throw you back and witness things for yourself…" Izuna starts to give off a different kind of light, "No… Izuna…" Madara calls before a sudden burst of light devours the whole place… just like how Sasuke's flames has devoured Sai's realm. Leaving nothing unlit and brushed away, the light explodes and all that is heard is one loud and painful cry, "IZUNA!"_

The ground shakes and the lights start to flicker. Everyone grows hysterical and even Naruto and the others have felt the sudden shaking. Naruto gets out of his dispirited daze and hears the grumbling of the building. Karin then reacts to the sudden explosion in the archives in the other realm, "Something's… happening at the archives…"

"Is Dark Sasuke starting to destroy the place?" Sai asks as they slowly sit up after moments of being harshly pinned down to the ground. Sakura cries, "Are we all… going to…?" Karin shakes her head and says, "No… it's not Sasuke or his dark soul." Hinata whimpers and feels something very different… she then slaps her head and cries, "No! What's going on! No! No! No!"

"Hinata!" Naruto grabs Hinata for a hug and Sakura and Sai looks around furiously… Karin starts squeezing herself, "It's Izuna! It's Izuna! He's the one that… he's the one who is giving off such…" The surroundings seem to get muted and they all look around. Then they have heard Izuna's voice, "Naruto, this is all I can do to further suspend my brother's annihilation of the whole place… just to kill you."

"Kill me?" Naruto says in denial and then Izuna continues to speak… despite the weakness in his voice, "Brother's dark soul is the curse itself… making him unable to fuse with it. Dark Sai is the realm deeper than the Ghost Realm, fusing with it will only fuse the two realms with one another… permanently unlike an eclipse. However, my dark soul is the world I weave when we travel back to the past. Unleashing it would have fused the past and the present… Go and find the answers… remember everything… you have seen. In the past lies the reasons why this curse has come to be, the reason why my brother has hated you all along, the reason why Sasuke and Hinata have ever taken his hand… and the reason why you come back here aside from the existence of Dark Naruto. I will wait until everything's better… Farewell… Naruto…" His image starts to fade, "Please save my brother, too…"

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno –Sakura no Imooto**

**Night 11: Threshold of Enlightenment**

'_The past holds every answer that there is… all you have to do is to seek…'_

"No, wait, Izuna!" Naruto stands up and runs out the door… but as soon as he does, the surroundings start to change… giving a view of an old hospital. He squints his eyes and sees a big silver plate labeling the establishment before _them_. He speaks as Karin, Sakura and Sai get near him, "East Konoha Medical Center…" Then an overlapping image of the front view of the UM MedCenter comes to their eyes for only two seconds. Naruto looks around some more… feeling a little happy seeing other things other than hospital premises. The street, the cars and everything else… he doesn't look out his window that much anyway.

However, he then goes inside the center and goes to the Head Doctor's Office… but then a nurse tells him after he has knocked, "The head doctor isn't here yet. You can wait for him at the reception though." The four walk towards the reception… Sakura says, "This place seems so creepy. An old hospital, huh…" Karin looks around… "Where is Hinata?" And then the 999 code air around. The doors swing open and close… until they get to see a bloody young Hinata who is trying to struggle from the nurses' hold… "Stop! Stop! Stop! Don't come near me!"

"Hinata!" Naruto runs to them and grasps at Hinata's bed in wheels, running with the people pushing it, "Hinata! Hey! Listen to me!" Hinata's hands then grasps at Naruto's arm as if she doesn't want to be there and he want him to take her NOW. Naruto then hushes with a hand cupping her red and wet cheek, "Don't worry, it's going to be fine. Let them treat you…" She then calms down a little… but runs wild for a short while when Naruto is not further allowed to come. He gives a warm and assuring smile at her and then the scene calms down as the emergency group gets inside the ER. Sakura then notices a group of doctors running towards them… she gasps as they seem to bump her…

"Huh?" She wonders since they get through her, Karin and Sai, "Uhh… this is so creepy." She walks closer to the other three and says, "We seem to be… non-existent in this place." Karin nods and Sai suggests, "I guess we better stay silent… when Naruto is not alone." The women nod… Naruto then sighs, "Let's wait till she gets better."

They have waited long enough and then the doctors have exited the room… telling Naruto Hinata will be fine but they are not yet allowed to get near her. Then the familiar nurse gets near Naruto and hooks stray bangs behind her ear, "Hey… do you know that girl?" Naruto then looks away, "Nothing much about her bio data… but… I'm her Dad's student." Naruto jerks within him, _'Why did I say that?'_ And then she gapes her mouth a little… only to grin afterwards, "My name is Shiori… you must be the new nurse. I'm working as the Head Nurse's assistant. I know some things… Naruto Karakuri, right?" Naruto nods and the three chatter about an unfamiliar name. She is smiling at Naruto… so flirty that she irks Sakura and Karin. Then she says, "Dr. Uchiha must be here in no time…"

"Yeah, I'm just going to wait for him." Naruto leaves for the reception… and the nurse drops her smile as she follows Naruto with her gaze. The four reach the reception and the blond gazes at the door… waiting for a familiar villainous face. A sudden image of the modern reception with an open door flashes before them, making Naruto twitch. He runs to the door and goes outside with the three following him. Then he sees a far away man that is… kicking his car.

"I can't believe I have to relive my very unfortunate life again." It is Madara who gives another kick at his car… and then senses Naruto coming as the nurse-to-be walks towards him, unsure _what_ Madara will turn to him. He gazes at the blond before him and he crosses his arms, his eyes meeting those newly-developed glares of azure eyes, "Well, well, well… if it isn't my noble assistant, Naruto. I should have known Izuna will be throwing you here as well." He then throws the keys for Naruto to catch and then he passes him by. As they line up, Madara grabs Naruto's shoulder and squeezes it… saying something without him looking at Naruto, "Make yourself worthy of my brother's _death_." He then leaves with a cool walk… only to trip at the leveled floor, "Oh fuck!"

"The Madara that I have been seeing all along… in the past… with the attitude of the current one." Naruto says while watching Madara recover from the trip and fix himself before reaching the doors. He then clutches the car keys, "Izuna has sacrificed himself so we can save Sasuke, Hinata, Kiba, and Ino… but don't you think he has gone far enough?" Karin then pushes her glasses up and says, "I know Izuna… he wouldn't do things if there's nothing for his brother in it."

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

"Naruto!" It is Shiori and she wiggles as she welcomes Naruto by the hallway towards the Head Nurse's office. She starts, "Dr. Uchiha has arrived and the Head Nurse wants to meet you at her office. Shall I accompany you there?" Naruto fakes a grin and agrees to go with her leading the way. They start chatting about insignificant things that just flow out of his mouth. She also brought news for Hinata's recovery… and Naruto's gladness seems to trigger something else within her.

They separate before the Head Nurse's room and Naruto walks in the office. Moments later, he's already in his uniform and should be reporting to the Head Doctor/Director for duty. He goes on and then gulps as they reach the door. He opens it and witnesses a much less massacre of an office. Paperworks are everywhere and the cabinets are tumbled over. The lamps are hanging low and a peeping voice echoes through, "Oh come on… will someone…"

A hand then shoots out from the mountains of papers and Naruto walks to the wriggling extremity. He takes it and helps the one hell of unfortunate man out the mess. Madara shakes off some more scraps off him and grows hostile to the new nurse. He then fixes himself while whispering curses to himself as Naruto inspects the cabinet where the papers would have flowed out from. The doctor then says in a serious manner, "I don't know how long I would have to stay with you. But I don't want to see your face around. I want those things clean and organized when I get back." He is walking while gazing at Naruto as he says such… only to get hit by the wall as he faces his front.

Sakura shoots a hand to her face and Naruto raises a brow at the comedic scene. The doctor squeezes his nose in pain and walks out the room, pissed off with the embarrassment and madness. Naruto has seen him with his defective car, getting buried under paperworks because of that defective cabinet, and then running thru a wall. But things are much more unfortunate than before… now when Izuna would never be around. He drops it off and proceeds walking…

Naruto starts picking up the mess and then Karin snorts, "Madara's lucky he can go through everything when he became a ghost." Naruto chuckles a little and then he starts cleaning the place… until the image gets eaten by fire as if a picture on a burning book. The four gets alarmed and then Naruto yells out, "What's going on!" A blob of water then splatters beside them and Hinata rises up from the now invisible ground, "What's happening? I don't understand…"

"Izuna seems to be losing control of things now." Karin says and then she then twitches as another set of colors paint the black background of the burnt page. The place turns to cinders and then another picture unveils. It is where Naruto gets to bump against another guy and where he did drop his ID and keycard. The man picks it up and phones somebody, "Don't bother hacking the door. I just got a keycard."

The page burns at a faster rate and several images burn beside them. They are now standing at a dark void where tons of gigantic pages are burning around them. They then see a page where the security guard in charge of the security cameras is lured by one sexy nurse out his station. And then Shiori sneaks in to disconnect the cameras at the hallway outside the Director's office. Then whole page burns and then Naruto lets a piece go to his open palm and watch the cinders eat up the remains of the paper. He whispers loud enough for them to hear, "Dark cinders. It must be Dark Sasuke's flames."

Then another scene plays where they see Naruto and Shiori standing outside Hinata's room… probably by the time before the fire has gone out because of the change of uniforms. "It's been eight years now… and she seems to be not growing old or something." Naruto in the page says and then Shiori sighs, "I don't know. Must have been a side effect of her illness." Naruto then leaves and she whispers, "Or my secret serum is getting effective. If you grow older and mature, Naruto will never notice me."

And then the scenes of the fire go on where the ghost Madara disguises himself as a maintenance staff and makes the whole oxygen room explode. They have seen how everything gets burned and how D. Naruto gets stuck at the lavatory during the accident. The pages start burning rapidly and things are starting to collapse. They see Sasuke crawling to the door… and the Madara appears before him. He reaches out his hand to the boy…

"Come Sasuke… I know you wanted to live longer. Longer for you to see him again…" He smirks and the Sasuke hesitates to take it. But he does… without knowing the horrid consequences of taking the hand Madara has reached out to him. The page starts burning again and there are multiple pages that go before them… showing all the haunting Sasuke has done to preserve his life… even the time when he has became friends with the non-aging girl, Hinata.

There then a page that shows Shiori talking to a rabid Hinata where she injects something at her IV drips. She then leaves and the other nurses follow suit. Hinata then tries to chase them when she feels dizzy and her body starts convulsing. "You better die, young girl. You don't have any use to me anymore now that Naruto's dead." She whispers and then disposes the syringe at a trash bin. Hinata lies crying at the bed, getting suffocated by the deadly liquid. Blood and saliva mixes at her mouth at it rolls down her mouth, Madara visits her again to take her under his wing.

Sasuke has come after that and he tries to wake her up… but she refused. Sasuke then turns into a burning boy again and disappears. The view then goes back to Shiori and she seems to be relaxing her tied up hair. She whispers under her sigh, "It's too bad Naruto's dead already. I didn't even get to be in bed with him." She then enters a vacant room to rest… only to see blood dripping from the bed. She grows near and touches it… only to have the burning boy creep behind her. The page burns out in an instant and then so many papers starts burning again.

"Izuna have recorded all of this…" Karin then starts grasping at her arms in undue pain, "And someone's destroying all of them." Naruto frowns and says, "Dark Sasuke. Can you tell if he's nearby?" She shakes her head and squeezes herself some more. Another scene starts to play despite its burning sides. It is Sai, in a nurse's attire, walking at the hallway when he goes into a room… where Karin is resting. The redhead is irresponsive and so he just leaves her alone.

He then meets a man at the hallway also known as Izuna and he seems to be befriending the ghost-to-be. But then he disappears only to have nurses surround him. They seem to protest against him and they chase him away… all the way to the basement of the hospital. It seems to be comparable to the bullying Naruto seemed to suffer from… but then again… it's of a different spice.

It is supposed to be used for slicing the skull… not the shoulders. One is equipped with this thing and they have made off with the poor guy. He is still alive for the whole moment they laugh out some tyranny… until the burning boy creeps in the room. Most have them have gotten away but some have taken a bite of Sasuke's flames of eternal hatred. Madara comes once again and he even has had an argument with Madara. But he loses and disappears as the spiky raven does what he thinks he needs to.

Then there are pages where the head ghosts have started haunting and the people in the hospital seem to find certain precautions during critical days of the year. Eclipses and full moons are times to be well-prepared and the curfew has been utterly strict during those events. The ghosts are still attacking some people though… just like the ones who dreams about the burning room and the ones who travel within the ghost realm.

The pages get replaced by another one and there lies Karin who is talking with Izuna as well. She really wouldn't make it and then Sasuke appears beside her. Izuna tries to talk it over with Karin but she protests and insists of getting converted into being a ghost to be with Sasuke. The burning boy tries to want her about the outcome but she didn't care. The two ghosts disappear and it's time for Madara to take over.

"Despite everything that is happening now, never did I regret to take that hand." Karin whispers and then Naruto smiles at her without saying anything. The pages rapidly burn again and there's nothing for them to watch anymore. Even the ashes are starting to form a suffocating fog and the transparent ground is shaking. "Everything's playing and gets burned! How're we going to get out of here?" Sakura says and then Sai says as he looks around, "There must be a way out…" The ghosts run in a direction… without any leads for their escape.

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

Madara is kneeling at the invisible floor… staring at the ceiling as the burning pages dance around him. The very reason of his existence has turned out to be too worthless to be avenged for. He even lost his very own brother just to have his blindfolds worn off. A tear rolls down his eyes and then he sits down and hangs his head in utter depression. Dark Sasuke has been destroying everything… the memories of his very own brother that he loves so much. Everything that he has been doing…

"_Things aren't so late to reverse. Yo can still act up to lessen the damages. And even if you fail… at least you tried."_ He drops his head to the ground as he mindlessly embrace himself, tears rolling continuously from the corner of his eyes. _"No one is innately bad… they do have their reasons to do so. I know you have your own reason…"_ The cinders are starting to cover him now… the ashes of Izuna's darkness lying around him. _"I know you're not bad."_

"_Brother… what Doctor is saying must have been true. You can reconsider…"_ He closes his eyes and remembers his very own memories… beyond those events in his hospital. The view of that September morning where he has been having sessions with a therapist with his brother. The face of the adorable therapist seems to be blurred and forgotten… but his voice remains as clear as his realizations. _"Stop venting out your anger on innocent things. You should manage to find your center and stop blaming other things for what happens to you. But doing so might have what you can call 'fate' getting back at you. But remember… no matter what you do… don't blame anybody. And instead of blaming yourself… do something to make up for it."_

"Tell me… what can I do to make up… for the terror and loss… the pain and suffering I have brought to other people? Tell me, Dr. Hashi…" Madara stays in his position despite the racking of the whole place. The only thing he can call 'Izuna' is slowly getting destroyed by D. Sasuke and there's nothing he wants to do about it. Disappearing along with his brother's memories is his chosen path and no one else would be there to contradict him.

Well, until Naruto and the others come across the helpless overlord on his knees. Naruto stops for a while and speaks, "Madara." The spiky raven smirks and says, "Naruto, Naruto, Naruto. There's nothing I can do now to keep this place from collapsing. But you can get out of here when you find that sole page where the time connects… if it wasn't burned down, that is."

"What are you planning to do now?" The blond asks the man and the brunet just answered as he raises up his head, "Stay." The group stays quiet for a while as they contemplate what to do. After seeing everything that has happened, they can say Madara's not someone to blame. Naruto then kneels down beside him, "Look, Madara. I know you're the most unforgivable man I have ever met. And if I take you out of this place and suffer, I would be much like you." He grabs the guy's shoulder and says, "But disappearing like this is not salvation. Izuna wants to save you, too."

Madara twitches and stares at Naruto's eyes filled with determination to fulfill a promise. _"Suicide is an escape. Only cowards escape, Madara-san. I know you can face everything. You should be able to… your brother and I, we will be here for you."_ The guy sighs and stands up, whispering under his breath, "It's this way." He runs off to a direction and the group follows him around.

The page Madara is talking about lies ahead and with their current speed, they won't be able to make it. They run faster and then Naruto glares at the burning exit. Sakura yells, "We're not going to make it!" But then the flames seem to stop eating the place and they have to go on despite the wonder. They have gotten out and then Naruto pants in fatigue. Madara just leans on a wall and says, "Dark Sasuke is already causing chaos all over the hospital. Stop him if you can."

The people's screams are audible and the facility starts to collapse on its own. The emergency alarms sound through the hospital and strict evacuation has been called for. Naruto twitches and then the ground shakes a rough one. Sakura then yells, "We have to go to dark Sasuke! We have to save Kiba and Ino before this place collapses!" They have to run away by then… Naruto lays his last glance at Madara who is now sitting at the ground. He talks with him for a while, "Madara. I know… it's not really too late to change things."

"You don't have to tell me." Madara smirks and then Karin walks to Naruto, "We have to help Sasuke. Leave him alone… he deserves it somehow." Naruto looks at her and her fixed glare makes him hum. They then run away and eventually encounter the evacuating people. It is already night time and the realms are fusing… which is not supposed to happen. Karin hums at the undue phenomenon and then one nurse says, "You guys. Come quick, we can't waste time!"

"It's this way!" Sai yells and he runs off to another direction. Their group follows suit and then the nurse yells, "Hey! Where are you going! Come back!" Naruto the stops and yells with a wave and a bright smile at his face, "We're going to stop who's causing this! You evacuate the other patients! Thank you!" He runs off again and the other nurses just have to go on. Naruto glares at his own thought, _'Sasuke… let's go save each other!'_

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

With his pen tapping rapidly against the table, Minato can't possibly contemplate of any proposals for tomorrow's meeting. He is too much focused in thinking about Naruto and his friends who are left there at the haunted hospital. UM MedCenter is surely shrouding every thought he has and it's not really helping. He lays down the pen at the table and takes a deep breath. "Let's go check out on Naruto, shall we?"

"Kushina." He whispers his wife's name and the redhead walks to him, "We're both restless and seeing our son is the best way for us to feel relaxed… even just for a while." Minato smiles sweetly at her and she nods as she gathers some of her clothes before leaving his room. He then flips down his laptop and unbuttons his work shirt. He then changes to another less formal polo shirt and goes to the bathroom. He knocks and then Kushina yells, "For a moment, honey."

They have finished their businesses and they are walking down the streets. Kushina whimpers as she holds her husband's hand so tight, "They're still alive, right?" Minato twitches and then he chuckles as he returns the squeeze, "Of course they are. He should keep his promise." The redhead bears a wrinkled smile and then white soft particles start falling down. Kushina and Minato look up the sky just like the most of them. The winter season has finally entered and the snowflakes are starting to cover the streets.

A flake goes to her nose and it melts upon contact. She then grows sad, "I don't like seeing the snow… it makes me feel _colder_." Minato pulls her to a hug and she closes her eyes at the uncalled for display of affection. They then start walking again and eventually come across a television vending place. The married couple wonders at the crowd thickening around the shop. Minato goes nearer and then the redhead follows suit, the two jabbing their way in.

"The sole hospital along the Terror Street has started to rack in its place all of a sudden! It seems like an earthquake has hit the place and now everyone within and near the establishment is starting to evacuate! We're live in the scene and Ahh! Big debris just fell off from the hospital!" It is a flash report and everyone seems to be mesmerized by it. Kushina gasps in sudden terror and then Minato whispers his curses. The cameraman then yells, "Fire!" The people starts yelling harder as red flames creep around the windows of the hospital. Minato then pulls Kushina from the crowd and they have begun running towards the medcenter, "Naruto!"

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

Naruto and everyone else have reached the archives and the blond breaks in the room. Dust and ashes have flowed from the sudden crack of the door and those have blinded them for a while. The view clears and then they slowly walk in, locking their gazes at dark Sasuke who is just standing there while holding a burning book. Naruto calls for the soul beneath, "Sasuke." The figure cocks his head to the side and then rages of black flames brush through the floor. The ghosts evade the attack and then Naruto yells again, "Sasuke!"

"Who are you?" The boy says and then Naruto points to himself with his open palms in an aggressive stance, "It's me, Naruto! Don't you remember me?" his voice mellows out at the second statement and then boy glares, a surge of flame coming as an answer. Karin yells at the blond, "It's no use, Naruto! We have to weaken him a little!" She then dives to the wall as Sakura gets engulfed with her ashes.

Hinata calls out some more, "Sasuke! We're here to help you! We want to save you, too!" Sasuke turns to her and then he gets engulfed in dark flames as he whispers, "I don't deserve to be saved." Naruto and Hinata go to their own Dark forms and then the blond yells, "No, Sasuke! That's not true!" He smiles at him and opens his arms, "You don't have to be alone anymore! Everyone in pain deserves sal—"

"Then why?" His face shows through the dark flames and yells angrily, "Then why can't someone do so! All everyone else is capable of is…" The place gets eaten by his flames of eternal hatred and darkness as he rages towards Naruto, "Causing me more pain and suffering! Much more pain and suffering than I can ever take!" Naruto's tails try to block away the flames and lets Sasuke get near… until Hinata pushes him away with her IV dragon, "Sasuke! Wake up! You can put those things behind you! You don't have to live— Ahh!"

Dark Sasuke sways his hands after he hops away, hitting Hinata with his whip of dark flames, "I tried… but everything pulls me back…" He angrily eyes at Naruto as he engulfs himself with the dark flames again, "You talk like you everything that happened! You talk like you can change ME!" He dashes towards Naruto and the blond tries to block him. He successfully breaks his defenses and has a sword strike through Naruto shoulder, pinning him at the wall. Sasuke nears his face to Naruto's, onyx orbs burning with darkness and resentment, "I don't know any Naruto. People I don't even know can't possibly know anything about me…"

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

The ceiling is breaking and everything on sight is getting devoured by Dark Sasuke's flames which appears as red to the mortals' eyes. The hallways are slowly collapsing and the red angry spikes are ramming through cement as if that is wood itself. Madara is walking around his burning hospital, looking at the people who are running around the place. The visiting hours haven't been off yet and that's why a lot has been evacuating.

"Mommy!" A little girl gets stuck under debris and Madara walks towards her. He kneels beside her and looks at her closely, noticing her blindness with that glaucoma. He whispers to the girl, "Your mother will never come back for a blind girl like you. Give up and face death." He is about to stand up when the girl suddenly answers, "Mister? You don't sound stuck… or even scared. Why are you still here? Aren't you supposed to evacuate like the others?"

"Forget about evacuating. Forget about living some more." The girl then starts crying some more, "Mom will cry if I… die here. Mister, please help me!" Madara looks at her and says with his cold tone, "I don't end up helping people. I'm not a doctor now. You better wait for someone else to help you." The girl cries as she tries to pull herself from beneath the big debris, "Ahh! Mister Doctor, please!" Madara looks at her with annoyance. _"A doctor? Really?" "What's wrong with being a doctor? I just… I just thought I've been a bit bad to other people. Maybe I can make up by 'helping' them… if I can."_

He then twitches and sighs, "Uchiha Madara, you are really a very unfortunate guy." He walks back to the girl and snaps before the debris gets crushed to ashes. The girl gasps loudly and then Madara takes her hand only to carry her towards the exit._ 'Well, maybe… it is really not too late.'_

[End of Night 11]

**Kakuzu: ***fans start screaming his name* Thank you! Thank you! *the fans shush* Welcome back to Dreamcatcher Nights and after five months, here's the next update. And to add up to the comeback chapter, this will be a back to back chapter of Dreamcatcher Nights! *acting in accordance of the talent fee*

**Hidan**: *annoyed* Yeah, that stupid Haruno has been doing some Procrastination no jutsu on the story so there. And yeah, she has already completed Kakuzu's talent fee. And why am I in a maid's dress while Kakuzu is in a butler uniform! Shouldn't I deserve a bigger talent fee for this!

**Kakuzu**: Ehem. Okay, so in this chapter we get to see every significant event that has shaped the story like this. And since this fic is about salvation and forgiving, second chances and realization… she made Madara weeping his ass out.

**Madara**: You say what?

**Kakuzu**: Well based on Haruno's notes, she will be giving an all good-ending for everyone since it really has been decided for almost half a year of planning. And she forgot to mention that chapter titles are supposed to be Nights (Night 1, Night 5, etc.) and she doesn't know what hit her to make it to Chapter and then revert back to Night.

**Izuna**: Yay! I love good endings!

**Kakuzu**: One more thing, she wants to know if you people are even interested to see the beach thing Ino wants to happen after the nightmare? Review if you do so… (It'll be an add-up chapter or a special one-shot…)

**Hidan**: Yep, the next fucking chapter will be the last and she wants to thank everyone that has read and reviewed on the fic. She also wants to know if she has provided entertainment to you guys.

**Hidan** and **Kakuzu**: Next on Dreamcatcher Nights! Night 12! **Waking Up from the Nightmare**!

**Madara**: We're not supposed to intervene, right?

**Izuna**: Leave it, Brother. And yeah! Thank you for reading and please review!


	12. Waking Up From the Nightmare

_Being in a world that seems to be not his, Naruto walks through the hospital and does what is told. He goes to the seventh floor and knocks on the door of Room 723. He opens the door and it reveals one of the greatest things he has ever seen. The raven boy is sitting at the bed like how he has first seen the burning boy. His face as tame as the winds that blew softly outside the building and his eyes as innocent as his somewhat angelic face. But his face has been adorned by bandages and plasters. He gazes at the bandages at hand and says, "Uhm, I'll be… I'm—"_

"_Just proceed." The innocence has been broken by the sudden sting of his voice to the blond's heart. His innocent eyes has turned to the guy and died upon eye contact. The shattered image yet remains and the nurse gulps in nervousness. He fears the being… but he somewhat feels otherwise. He redresses the wounds and winces at the view of each deep wound as if they have pierced through him instead._

"_Uhm, my name is Naruto. What's yours?" Naruto chuckles out a nervous question and the boy didn't answer. He then silently sighs in depression and disappointment… until his spiky voice mellows down in a whisper, "Sasuke. You're the first one to ask…" The blond smiles contentedly and writes his name at the clipboard. He then stares at him happily and asks to earn the boy's interest, "When is the last time… someone visited you?"_

_The boy remains silent again and then he flings at the nurse and says in a rather mad voice, "No one has ever visited me. Why do you care?" Naruto twitches and then he hangs his head in sadness. He then holds Sasuke's hand and continues as Sasuke answers with a squeeze, "Do you feel lonely? You don't really have to feel lonely. Sometimes, there are things that you need to go through alone. But at the end of the line… the people you love will be waiting for you."_

"_Everyone thinks I'm scary and I should be dead by now."_

"_You're not scary and don't give up. I won't let them hurt you… okay?"_

"…_promise me."_

**Dreamcatcher Nights**

**Rei Haruno —Sakura no Imooto**

**Final Night: Waking Up from the Nightmare**

"Naruto!" Kushina yells yet again as they reach the line where the police is holding off the crowd. Kushina goes past the line but Minato has to pull her back before the police do. He tries to calm her down despite his very own agitation and ultimate desire to go as well. She yells, "My baby! Where's my baby! Naruto!" Minato looks around and can't see anyone from Naruto's group from the crowd.

Then the crowd sees a rescuer soaks himself in water and goes inside the burning building and the people start crying for the names of their children, family or relatives that are still stuck inside. Sakura's mother and Kiba's old lady run to Kushina and Minato and ask if they have seen their children. Minato looks at the hospital and tries to see any sign of SOS from anyone inside, "I want to believe that Naruto will not break his promise."

The rescuer goes in and runs through all accessible passages for civilians to go through. He hears pleas and screams from the next floor and then he goes to the trapped people. One of them is caught under the broken bed and everyone wants him to help the guy. They are screaming a lot and two nurses are traumatized at the side. The rescuer suddenly gets overwhelmed until one of them points at the horizon, "The child… the child is floating."

Everyone stops and they all look at the blind girl in Madara's arms. Madara twitches a little and looks around… the Ghost realm hasn't breached that place just yet. He smirks and brings down the girl at the floor and tells her, "Tell them to just head straight to the door. And then run straight ahead." The girl nods and the people seem to wonder if she's talking to somebody. She repeats Madara's directions and runs off ahead. They follow her and the flames seem to be halted by something. The blockages are also blown away as she goes, the collapsing ceilings stop as if held by an invisible tunnel.

They have reached the front door and it bursts open as the girl reaches it. The remaining innocent people have gone out and the entrance exit has finally collapsed. The reunions growl in the crowd and then the firefighters just backed off from the fire-eaten building… having the fire completely out of their control. Sakura's mother and Ino's auntie faints upon realizing that her daughter and her niece would not be saved anymore. Minato catches her and then Kushina yells out, "Naruto!"

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

The rumblings outside are heard even within the archives. Naruto coughs out blood as Sasuke has struck another sword at his waist. Hinata, Sai, Sakura, and Karin are all being devoured by his dark flames but they are all trying to struggle. Hinata cries as she tries to reach her hand out to Naruto, but her throat seems to have run dry. She stretches some more and remembers how she reached out for him back then… desperately stretching out for help.

Sakura gets reminded by the pain of Sasuke's hatred… but much worse this time. It's not just mere pain and hatred… the fire is blaming her for all the loss and for all the suffering that he had gone through. Karin is lying silently at the ground, her red orbs locked at Naruto and Sasuke. The pain has paralyzed her and once again, she is watching someone important to her die. Naruto is now her friend… and she can't just watch this.

Sai is again in a state of helplessness. There's nothing he can do for Naruto again… and for Sasuke as well. He has been the most unfortunate boy Sai has ever known and even beyond death, he has carried everything within his shattered heart. Sai tries to make a sound… but the screaming of the dark flames overpowers his mere squeak. Sasuke stares deeply at Naruto who is like begging Sasuke to listen to him.

The blond reaches out a hand to touch Sasuke's cheek and calls out his name, "Sasuke…" The raven the twitches and grasps at the hilt of that sword he has struck the last, "Now… I do remember you. You were the guy that promised me that I wouldn't be hurt again." He moves the sword side to side as if making the blade hit Naruto's wound more and more, "But where were you when the fire is eating me? Where were you when Madara has tried to take everything! Where were you… when I wanted to be safe!"

"Argh!" Naruto groans in pain when the burning boy touches his cheek and the dark flame starts kissing him, "I was happy when I heard you say that. But where did you go? You walked away from me just like the other nurses that passed by my room!" Naruto moves his weakened hand and holds Sasuke's even if the hostile fire is biting his very skin degree by degree, "I'm so sorry, Sasuke. I tried to save you… but I failed. But now… I really wanted to. Let me save you, Sasuke. Let me end your pain!"

"There's no way you can do so." Sasuke's mad orbs start to dull again and his voice goes into its monotonous swing, "I stopped believing you can save me…" Naruto then grasps at Sasuke's face when the raven drops his hand, "Sasuke. Just one chance…" Naruto vomits some blood, some more flows from his mouth, "Just one more chance… let me help you. I know you still believe in me…"

Sasuke glares at him and he grabs Naruto's neck but the blond continues despite the groaning and suffering, "You still believe in me. Because if you don't… you wouldn't sacrifice yourself and let your Dark soul run wild. Ever since you took Madara's hand, you have placed yourself in grave pain. But do you even remember why you risked everything else? Why you let him take you away from me?"

"_Do you want to live longer, my dear?"_

'_As long as… I can… I want to. Please save me!'_

"_No one can control Dark Sai… and no one can stop him. But someone can stop you… as long as I can keep him alive!"_

"I wanted… to live." Dark Sasuke whispers as he backs away from the blond. The flame engulfing the other ghosts start vanish and then they begin struggling to sit up. D. Sasuke gazes at his shaking hands as the dark flames extinguishes itself, still leaving the place on fire, "I wanted to live despite the pain… I wanted to live no matter how hard it'll get for me. I wanted to live to see a face…"

"Tell me, Sasuke." Naruto smiles despite the critical state and drags himself to Sasuke only to hold the shaking hands, "Whose face do you want to see?" The dull dark orbs now stares at the smiling azure ones, trying to hold back the tears and everything else. His chest yet feels this pain again… but unlike the other 'pain', it feels good. Dark Sasuke stops burning with his flames and he embraces the blond, "Naruto… did Madara… let you go here? How?"

"Madara let us go." Naruto shortly answers and he pulls back to run his hand at the raven's face, "Stop burning in your own hatred, Sasuke. Let go of the things that pulls you back. Stop blaming yourself for our deaths. I know you just wanted to save me back then… and then Hinata, Sai, Karin, and Sakura. Sasuke, I don't hate you for failing… we don't hate you for failing. Stop it…" Sasuke walks back three steps as his arms disengages with Naruto's body. The blond tries to catch up with him, "Sasuke, come back!"

"Even if I recall my flames from burning the building… everything will collapse in a matter of seconds." Sasuke suddenly smiles as he slowly vanishes from their view, "I'm transferring you back to your room, Naruto. Use the remaining time to get out of here." He completely disintegrates and then white light engulfs everyone. Naruto tries to run towards Sasuke but he can't, "Sasuke!"

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

"Naruto!" A sudden hit meets with Naruto's face and it has left Naruto's cheek red. The blond growls as he wakes up and finds everyone at his room. Sakura grabs his collar and pulls him up, "Come on! Everything's collapsing! We have to get out!" Naruto then gets to his feet and they somewhat drag themselves through the weakened floors. The flames are subsiding but the cinders are still destroying the establishment. Naruto then twitches and budges out of Sakura's hold, "You guys go on ahead! I have to get Sasuke!" They yell for his name and then Hinata just yells, "Let's go! They'll be following us later!" They all run away… not knowing if Hinata would be right.

They run along the collapsing hallways and they can't help but to feel helpless yet strong enough to run. They then see Madara standing at a corner but they pass him by. He then yells, "Hinata!" The brunette looks at him as she stops, despite the whispers of doing the opposite. Madara jerks his thumb in the hallway to his right and says, "This way leads to the first floor exit when you jump down from here. You also forgot your stupid friends."

Sakura then runs through the hallway he's pointing at and then she sees Kiba and Ino at the side, unconscious and oblivious of what's happening. She then tries to wake up Ino with yelling at her but then Sai grabs her and carries the other guy, "They won't be waking up. Let's go." Sakura then gets Ino and they run away from Madara. Hinata looks back at him and then she smiles, "Thank you!" He waves goodbye and then the group goes on.

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

Naruto looks around and goes up the stairs as long as it can stretch out. He gets to the seventh floor and budges in the room where they first met. Sasuke is there at the bed, watching things outside the hospital just like how he did before. Naruto walks to the burnt angel and sits down his bed, "Sasuke. We have to go."

"Naruto?" Sasuke looks at him and then the blond embraces him, "I won't go out of this place without you. I left you once and I won't leave you again." The raven can't help but to bear a smile and hangs his head, "Even till the end… you didn't keep your promise." Naruto twitches and pulls back a little to see Sasuke's depressed, helpless smiling face, "It hurts me whenever I think that you're getting hurt because of me. Now, you won't be able to be with your parents because you stay here with me. Even if we try to get out… it's just too late."

"It may be too late to get out now… but it's not too late to hold on." Sasuke looks at him and the blond runs his fingers at his dearest's face, "I'll stay with you till the end. Even if we get to get buried under the rubbles, I still wanted to believe that we can get through this." The raven stares at his beloved's azure orbs as they try to give him some more courage and faith that he's running out of. The building's starting to give out some more rumbling and the sturdiest parts give in to the destruction. Sasuke grabs Naruto's face and whispers, "I love you, Naruto. When I open my eyes after this… I wish to see your face… smiling, breathing…"

"I love you, too, Sasuke. Don't worry, I'll even hold you in my arms… just don't die on me after that." Their lips meet with one another and they silently make out in the middle of the grumblings. The last and final shake makes the building fall to the ground… leaving the lovers' lives in jeopardy.

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

'_Hey, Naruto… can you hear me?'_

"_Izuna? Is that you?"_

'_Yeah… so how's getting buried under the twelve-storey building?'_

"_Whaaaa? We got buried!"_

'_Yeah.'_

"_What…? So are we already in heaven?"_

'_Will you seriously find me there?'_

"_Don't laugh… wait, where's Sasuke?"_

'_If you're in heaven… there he's down there.'_

"_That can't be… I thought, I…"_

'_Naruto…' _"Naruto…"

"_I've failed him…"_

"Naruto? Are you awake?"

"_Awake?"_

'_Heheh… come on, open your eyes! Hell isn't the only place below Heaven.'_

"Naruto?" His eyes begin to move and then he sees lilac eyes looming at his view. The picture is still in a blur and all he can see are colors. Violet and cream… wait, a dress? Naruto squints to see the image before his eyes… much more like a child in a dress is leaning towards him, head turned to somewhere else. Her hands move as if calling people and then Naruto tries to sit up… only to get held back by tubes.

It is the time when the sounds are coming back to his senses. The beating of that green line gives out a rhythm of life. Figures. He's still in a hospital and that fact makes him growl that very instant. The child then flings to him and looms her face over his again, "Naruto! You're awake!" Her unfamiliar high-pitched voice booms at his ears… but somehow he recognizes her.

"Hinata?" He whispers under the breather and then he looks around to watch Sakura, Ino, Kiba and Kushina go inside the room. His mother then run to him and embraces him, "Naruto! Oh my God!" Naruto takes off the breather and the stupid tubes to embrace his mother, "Mom!" Kushina squeezes him some more, "I never thought I would be holding you in my arms again!" Naruto then twitches and then he smiles at his mother, "Mom… when the whole hospital collapsed… I really accepted to myself that I would never see you again."

"Naruto." Kushina cries some more and then she wipes her tears, "Come on, Naruto. Give your Sleeping Beauty the kiss of awakening." Naruto twitches and flings around as he notices Sakura and Ino getting done with detaching the tubes. Naruto gets off the bed and Kiba gives him a friendly hug and a friendship high-five. The grinning blond then walks out the room and goes to the room where Minato, Sai and Karin are patiently waiting. Minato then rush to him for a hug, "Naruto!" The younger blond chuckles as he returns the sudden squeeze and then Karin smiles a little, "Naruto."

"We've been waiting for you, Naruto." Sai says with his normal creepy smile and then Minato let goes of his son, only to cry silently at a corner. Kushina joins his side and watches Naruto as he makes his way to the bed. He climbs it and holds the guy covered in bandages all over. He tears at the view and he run his fingers at the heavily bandaged face, "Sasuke… wake up." He lays a kiss at his forehead and places his above it, "We're safe now…"

Naruto gently holds the wrapped fingers… until a sudden squeeze responds. Naruto pulls back a little and the only visible eye starts to open. The sole onyx orb meets with the azure ones and it squints to clear the view. Naruto smiles and then Karin goes near as the other friends walk in the room. They contentedly smile as the two seem to coo at the raven boy…

"Sasuke!" The child which is really Hinata lunges at the bed and yells, "Karin, Sai and Sakura are healing from their wounds! Don't worry, you'll be fine, too!" Sasuke then flings his hand to hit Hinata and makes her hit the floor. Naruto chuckles and then Karin snorts with an undeniable smile, "Get lost, kid." Hinata twitches and then Naruto says, "Come on, Hinata. They're just kidding…"

Everyone has been laughing even until Sasuke cups his free hand at Naruto face. The blond smiles and then kisses Sasuke at where his lips would be as everyone starts chattering loudly in happiness. The blond whispers at him, "I told you I would be holding you in my arms when you wake up. I have kept my promise… and I will be keeping every promise that I make." Sasuke scoots and hugs Naruto and whispers despite the bandages at his mouth, "Thank you…"

"…you better rest and let your skin heal." Naruto then wipes his tears and yells for everyone to hear, "And after everyone's healed… let's go to the beach this coming summer!" Everyone cheers and then Naruto embraces Sasuke in the strength that his healing body won't get hurt. He then lays another kiss at his lips and embraces him come more, listening to everyone's plans about the summer escapade.

—DREAMCATCHER NIGHTS—

"Tch. East Konoha Medical Center just went down to rubbles…" Madara kicks a small debris and then Izuna walks to him as if happily prancing, "How long have you been managing this place? And ever since then… it never had a major renovation." Madara sits miserably at a block and whispers grumpily, "This hospital is the embodiment of my promise to Dr. Hashi… and it's been a while since I last mope like a child."

"Naruto managed to save Sasuke even before my world completely vanished under his dark flames." Izuna looks up at the sky that he hasn't seen for a while, "And it's been three days since the rescuers have dug Naruto and Sasuke under these rocks. And it's good to know they're alive and well." Madara looks at him and says, "You're visiting them?" Izuna sits at the rock opposite his brother's seat, "I can still get to connect to them… because the curse hasn't ended just yet."

"Are you crazy? We will all vanish if I end the curse by then. Keeping the curse active is the only thing to make it up for everything that happened." Izuna freezes at his brother's words, eyes gazing at the spiky raven as if in denial of what he has heard. Madara then glares at his brother and then Izuna suddenly jumps around, "My brother's back to normal! My brother's free! Wheeee! Thank you, Naruto! You're the greatest guy ever!"

"Shut up, Izuna!" Madara yells angrily with a blush at his face… and then he flings around at the screech of wheels. Despite his brother's noisy celebration, he calmly flings to the group that has arrived at the site. One of them takes off his sunglasses and examines the place. His long dark hair is swaying with the wind and Madara continues to stare at him. Izuna stops jumping around and sees the guy, "Brother… he looks like Dr. Hashi."

"…" Madara continues to stare and then they hear him say to the guy who approaches the new one, "I heard there are vengeful spirits that infested the hospital." The other one smirks and then says with a shrug, "Come on, man. Those ghosts must have been gone away with all these junk. Besides, Uzumaki-sama wants a location. You think this will fit? This will be big enough to host the project."

"I don't think so." The guy that looks like Madara's therapist then gazes at the two at the distance… only to make a casual salute at them. Madara then jerks and pulls Izuna away, "That bastard can see us!" Izuna then yelps at the pull and looks back at the man. The other guy yells, "Who are you waving at? Are those the fucking ghosts!"

"Don't worry… they don't seem to be bad."

[End of **Dreamcatcher Nights**]

**Rei**: At last! Everything has been said and done! Thank you for everyone who helped me accomplished this fic! Especially Hyperwiwi! Awiwi-chan, where are you? Anyway, thank you for everyone who has read and reviewed! Thank you! Thank you very much!

**Naruto**: Yay! No more stupid ghost thingy!

**Rei**: What the! Naruto! Who told you? To be honest, I have two non-ghost plots for SasuNaru… but I better focus more on MinaKushi and HashiMada, okay?

**Sakura**: How about me and Gaara? Are you taking a break on that, too?

**Rei**: I guess… but don't worry, I'm writing drafts for your stories… (See, that's my draft notebook!)

**Naruto**: That's so long! A whole chapter on a draft? (You are Lady Rewrite…)

**Sakura**: (And Procrastination, it's been days when you finished writing that! Go on and encode it!)

**Sasuke**: I can't believe we have to go through this again.

**Rei**: Thank you once again! See you at my other stories!


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